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PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


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Division    \)C)  dj  O^'W 

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THE    LUTHERAN    COMMENTARY 


A    PLAIN    EXPOSITION    OF    THE 


i^olp  ^crxpturciaf  of  t&e  i^ehj  €e^tamcut 


BY 

SCHOLARS  OF  THE  LUTHERAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 


EDITED    BY 

HENRY  EYSTER  JACOBS 


Vol.  IV. 


€f)e  <irf)n^tian  literature  €o» 

MDCCCXCV 


\\\  «L.  Li/C\  'v^  t  r  (>-  v^      c o  vr\  m "- ) ;  i  ^f 


7 


ANNOTATIONS 


ON  The 


GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  ST.  LUKE 


BY 

H.  LOUIS  BAUGHER,  D.D. 

L/iU'  Fra}Min  Professor  of  Greek  in  Pennsylvania  College  at  Gettysburg- 


IWew  forft 

€l)e  CJjri^tian  Hiterature  Co» 


MDCCCXCVI. 


Copyright,  1896, 
By  the  christian  LITERATURE   CO. 


PREFACE. 


The  Gospel  according  to  St.  Luke  is  the  largest  book 
in  the  New  Testament.  Having  much  in  common  with 
the  other  Evangelists,  especially  Matthew  and  Mark,  far 
the  largest  part  of  the  book  is  peculiar  to  Luke.  Our 
space  being  so  limited,  it  has  seemed  best  to  us  to  pass 
over  with  slight  consideration  the  portions  common  to 
the  other  gospels,  with  references  to  their  discussion  in 
the  other  volumes  of  this  work,  and  to  give  our  space 
chiefly  to  what  is  peculiar  to  Luke.  And  even  thus  we 
have  overrun  the  limit  of  pages  allowed  by  the  publishers. 
Whilst  these  comments  will  be  found  to  be  popular  and 
practical,  we  believe  they  will  also  satisfy  scholarly  in- 
quiry and  taste.  We  have  not  hesitated  to  incorporate 
the  results  of  former  studies  while  Editor  of  TJie  Augs- 
burg Sunday  School  Teacher.  If  the  readers  of  the  fol- 
lowing pages  get  from  them  the  benefit  and  delight  that 
have  come  to  the  Author  in  their  preparation,  this  book 
will  serve  a  blessed  purpose.  May  they  find  God's 
"  wonderful  testimonies  "  in  His  word  "  more  to  be 
desired  than  much  fine  gold  ;  sweeter  also  than  honey 
and  the  honeycomb  !  " 

H.  L.  B. 


INTRODUCTION. 


I.  The  Author. — In  the  Greek  manuscripts  this 
gospel  history  is  entitled  -/.axd  Aouxdv,  that  is,  according  to 
Loukas,  which  is  easily  anglicized  into  Luke.  The  best 
etymologists  say  this  name  is  not  to  be  confounded  with 
Lucius,  found  in  Acts  xiii.  i,  and  Rom.  xvi.  2i.  The 
Acts  of  the  Apostles,  written  also  by  Luke,  and  the 
Pauline  Epistles  (Col.  iv.  14;  Philem.  24;  2  Tim.  iv.  ii,) 
are  the  only  sources  of  historical  information  that  we 
have  concerning  him.  From  these  he  appears  to  have 
been  a  Gentile  by  birth  (comp.  Col.  iv.  ver.  1 1  with  ver. 
14),  a  physician  by  profession,  and  a  companion  of  Paul 
from  the  time  when  he  joined  him  at  Troas,  on  that 
apostle's  second  missionary  journey.  At  this  point  in 
the  Acts  it  is  noticeable  that  the  narrative  changes  from 
the  third  to  the  first  person  (Acts  xvi.  10).  As  the 
narrative  resumes  the  indirect  third  person  after  the 
events  at  Philippi,  some  conjecture  that  Luke  remained 
there  till  the  apostle's  return,  some  years  later,  joining 
him  there  again  en  route  to  Jerusalem,  the  direct  first 
person  appearing  there  again  (Acts  xx.  6),  from  which 
time  he  continued  with  him  till  the  close  of  the  apostle's 
life  (2  Tim.  iv.  ii).  There  are  no  historical  data  regard- 
ing the  time  or  place  of  his  birth  or  his  death  :  and  all 
that   the   fathers  say  about  him   is  legendary.     The  lan- 

vii 


viii  INTRODUCTION. 

guage  and  style  of  this  gospel  history,  as  well  as  of  the 
Acts,  show  that  their  author  was  an  educated  man. 

2.  Sources  of  Luke's  Gospel.  First,  there  was 
oral  tradition,  distinctly  referred  to  as  a  source  in  Luke's 
preface  (i.  1-4).  Our  author's  advantages  for  getting 
and  sifting  this  were  great.  Resident  in  Judaea,  in  all 
probability,  during  Paul's  two  years'  imprisonment  at 
Caesarea  (comp.  Acts  xxi.-xxvii.),  he  would  likely  come 
in  contact  with  many  who  had  been  eye-witnesses  and 
hearers  of  Christ,  e.  g.,  with  some  of  the  apostles,  with 
James  the  Lord's  brother.  President  of  the  Church  at 
Jerusalem,  and  Mary  the  Lord's  mother,  and  Philip  the 
Evangelist,  of  Caesarea ;  and  through  Paul  he  must  have 
learned  much  which  that  apostle  had  received  from  the 
other  apostles,  with  whom  he  must  have  had  frequent 
communication.  (See  pp.  xvii.  and  xviii.  of  Introduc- 
tion, Vol.  in.  of  this  series.) 

Secondly,  there  were  written  documents,  to  which  also 
our  author  refers  in  his  preface.  These  were  numerous, 
some  of  them  of  more  value,  others,  of  less  ;  and  Luke 
sought  accurately  {axpi[iSiq)  to  weigh  and  use  them  freely, 
as  suited  his  purpose.  The  tendency  of  opinion  is,  that 
among  these  documents  was  the  gospel  according  to 
Mark  and,  possibly,  that  according  to  Matthew,  although 
there  is  no  absolute  proof  either  that  Luke  had  or  had 
not  these  gospels  before  him.  The  synoptic  problem — 
of  the  order  in  which  the  first  three  gospels  were  written, 
and  which  one  or  ones,  if  any,  each  of  these  writers  had 
before  him — is  one  much  speculated  upon,  but  it  probably 
will  remain  unsettled.  The  opinion  that  Marcion's  Gospel 
was  the  primitive  Luke  has  fallen  entirely  and  criticism 
has  established  it  that  Marcion's  Gospel  is  an  abbrevia- 
tion and  variation  of  Luke. 

3.  Characteristics. — In  language  and  diction  Luke 


INTRODUCTION.  ix 

IS,  for  a  New  Testament  writer,  unusually  pure  and  cor- 
rect. This  is  seen  in  the  Acts  as  well  as  in  the  gospel 
history.  A  marked  individuality  appears  in  his  style  and 
diction.  .  Schaff  (History  of  the  Church,  Vol.  II.  p.  665) 
says,  "  The  vocabulary  of  Luke  considerably  exceeds  that 
of  the  other  evangelists;  he  has  about  180  terms  which 
occur  in  his  Gospel  alone,  and  nowhere  else  in  the  New 
Testament  ;  while  Matthew  has  only  about  70,  Mark  44, 
and  John  50  peculiar  words.  Luke's  Gospel  has  55,  and 
the  Acts  135  «:ra|  XeyoixE'^a,  and  among  them  many  verbal 
compounds  and  rare  technical  terms."  This  shows  our 
author's  command  of  the  Greek  language,  and  confirms 
the  opinion  of  his  Gentile  origin. 

Comprehensiveness  is  another  characteristic.  Luke 
alone  gives  an  account  of  the  Forerunner's  birth  and  the 
interesting  circumstances  connected  therewith,  of  the 
Annunciation  to  Mary  and  the  circumstances  of  Jesus'  birth 
and  His  presentation  in  the  temple.  He  alone  gives  an 
incident  of  Jesus'  childhood,  and  refers  to  His  youthful 
years,  and  closes  with  an  account  of  the  Ascension. 
Moreover  there  are  twelve  parables  and  six  miracles  given 
by  Luke  that  are  not  found  in  the  other  Gospels.  From 
ix.  51  to  xviii.  14  most  of  the  narrative  is  peculiar  to 
Luke,  interspersed  with  some  things  either  the  same  as 
or  like  what  is  given  by  the  others. 

Luke's  Gospel  is  the  Gospel  of  the  Gentiles,  so  con- 
sidered from  Origen  down  and  sufficiently  shown  by  its 
contents,  explaining  Jewish  customs  and  localities,  in- 
troducing so  many  Gentile  personages,  to  one  of  whom 
it  is  dedicated,  and  setting  forth  with  so  much  frequency 
and  earnestness  Christ  as  the  Saviour  of  men,  not  of 
Jews  only.  Moreover  our  author  brings  out  more  than 
the  others  the  humanity  of  Christ. 

The  prominence  given  to  women  is  another  character- 


X  INTR  OD  UC  TION. 

istic  of  this  gospel,  and  this  in  harmony  with  the  features 
before  mentioned. 

Schaff,  who  calls  Luke  the  proper  father  of  Christian 
Church  History,  says,  "  His  is  the  Gospel  of  historical 
development.  To  him  we  are  indebted  for  nearly  all  the 
hints  that  link  the  gospel  facts  with  the  contemporary 
history  of  the  world." 

Reuss  says,  "  It  is  proportionally  the  richest  of  the 
extant  Gospels,  and  the  one  of  the  three  most  carefully 
worked  out." 

Weiss  says,  "  It  is  a  doctrinal  writing,  notwithstanding 
that  it  has  more  the  character  of  historiography." 

Renan  says,  "  From  a  purely  literary  and  human- 
itarian standpoint,  it  is  the  most  beautiful  book  ever 
written." 

4.  Genuineness  and  Integrity. — The  genuineness 
and  integrity  of  the  Gospel  by  Luke  have  not  been 
successfully  impugned.  The  unanimous  tradition  of  the 
ancient  church,  reaching  back  as  far  as  Irenaeus,  ascribes 
it  to  Luke  as  author.  The  most  noteworthy  objection 
brought  against  it  is  its  relation  to  the  Gospel  of  Marcion, 
concerning  which  it  may  now  be  considered  as  demon- 
strated that  Marcion  copied  and  mutilated  Luke,  having 
seen  in  it  the  Pauline  character  which  suited  his  teachings. 

The  portion  from  ch.  i.  5  to  end  of  ch.  ii.,  has  been 
called  in  question  because  of  its  absence  in  Marcion's 
Gospel  and  its  Hebraic  character.  But  this  contention 
has  been  clearly  shown  by  scholars  to  be  without  founda- 
tion, and  that  external  and  internal  testimony  alike 
accredit  it  as  a  genuine  portion  of  Luke. 

5.  Date  and  Place  of  Composition. — There  is  no 
certain  evidence  where  Luke's  Gospel  was  written.  Cae- 
sarea,  Alexandria,  Achaia  and  Boeotia,  Greece,  Rome, 
and  other  places  have  been  assigned  by  different  scholars. 


IN  TR  OD  UC  TION. 


XI 


Dates  ranging  from  A.  D.  58  to  A.  D.  130  have  been 
assigned.  The  last  named  is  now  universally  abandoned 
in  favor  of  an  earlier  one.  Whilst  most  assign  this  gospel 
to  the  first  century,  there  is  a  division  of  opinion  as  to 
whether  it  was  written  before  or  after  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem.  Credner,  DeWette,  Bleek,  Meyer,  Holzmann, 
Weiss,  Reuss,  Sanday,  and  others,  put  the  date  after  that 
event — we  think  on  insuf^cient  grounds;  Michaelis, 
Lardner,  Home,  Guericke,  Ebrard  and  Godet  assign 
A.  D.  63  or  64,  as  the  date;  Alford,  Thomson  and  Schaff, 
A.  D.  58-60;  and  Gloag,  A.  D.  60,  at  Caesarea,  toward 
the  conclusion  of  Paul's  imprisonment  there. 

It  certainly  was  written  before  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
in  which  it  is  spoken  of  as  "  the  former  treatise." 


CHAPTER  I. 

1-4.  Forasmuch  as  many  have  taken  in  hand  to  draw  up  a  narrative 
concerning  those  matters  which  have  been  fulfilled  among  us,  even  as  they 
delivered  them  unto  us,  which  from  the  beginning  were  eye-witnesses  and 
ministers  of  the  word,  it  seemed  good  to  me  also,  having  traced  the  course 
of  all  things  accurately  from  the  first,  to  write  unto  thee  in  order,  most  ex- 
cellent Theophilus  ;  that  thou  mightest  know  the  certainty  concerning  the 
things  wherein  thou  wast  instructed. 

The  classical  beauty  of  this  introduction  is  noted  by 
all  who  study  it.  It  is  a  gem  and  a  model,  Luke  is  more 
classical  in  his  language  and  style  than  the  other  evange- 
lists; but  this  characteristic  cannot  appear  in  the  greater 
part  of  his  gospel  history,  where  he  quotes  from  others 
and  cannot  write  after  his  own  style. 

This  introduction  sets  forth  the  occasion  and  pur- 
pose of  his  writing  and  the  sources  of  his  information. 

I.  It  appears  that  many  at  that  early  day  had  under- 
taken to  draw  up  a  narrative  purporting  to  give  the 
gospel  history.  This  shows  the  interest  taken  therein, 
and  that  writings  of  this  sort  were  not  rare.  Luke  does 
not  refer  to  the  apocryphal  writings,  which  were  later, 
nor  to  Matthew's  history,  and  likely  not  to  Mark's, 
but  to  writings  not  included  in  our  canonical  Scrip- 
tures, and  which  are  no  longer  extant.  That  there  was 
abundant  material  for  such  writings  appears  from  John 
xxi.  25. 

Matters  which  have  been  fulfilled  among  us.  The 
rendering  of  the  "authorized  version"  is,  "Things 
which  are  most  surely  believed  among  us."     The  original 

I 


2  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [i.  1-3. 

allows  either  rendering,  and  each  comes  with  about  equal 
authority.  It  is  easy  to  combine  the  two  and  get  the 
full  force  of  the  original.  The  things  of  which  Luke  pro- 
poses to  write  had  been  historically  so  fully  established 
among  them  as  to  be  surely  believed  among  them.  These 
were  the  things  concerning  Jesus  Christ. 

2.  Even  as  they  delivered  them  unto  us.  The  many 
writers  referred  to  were  not  original  authorities,  and  did 
not  profess  to  be,  but  had  received  their  information, 
chiefly  orally,  but  may  be  sometimes  in  writing,  from 
those  who  from  the  beginning  were  eyewitnesses  of 
what  they  reported,  and  ministers  of  the  word. 

To  the  latter  belonged  the  Twelve  (comp.  Acts  i.  21,  22), 
and  the  Seventy,  and  to  the  former  Mary,  the  mother  of 
Jesus,  and  the  women  that  followed  Jesus  from  Galilee, 
ministering  unto  llim  (Matt,  xxvii.  55,  56). 

3.  It  seemed  good  to  me  also.  Here  Luke  includes 
himself  among  the  many  who  so  received  their  informa- 
tion ;  but  signifies  that  he  thought  there  was  still  further 
need  of  a  treatise  on  these  subjects.  That  he  was  inspired 
of  God  to  prepare  such  a  treatise  is  here  neither  afifirmed 
nor  denied.  His  competence  for  the  work  appears  from 
his  having  traced  the  course  of  all  things  accurately 
from  the  first.  Luke  therefore  felt  called  upon  to 
undertake  the  difficult  work  and  improve  upon  the  narra- 
tives of  the  many  (ver.  i.)  And  God  has  been  pleased  to 
preserve  to  us  his  accurate  history  for  our  study.  Let  us 
be  thankful. 

To  write  unto  thee.  So  the  Acts  and  most  of  the 
Epistles  are  specially  addressed,  yet  came  abroad  to  all 
in  God's  good  providence.  In  order.  Consecutively ; 
one  thing  after  another,  in  historical  sequence.  Who 
Theophilus  was,  we  do  not  know.  He  is  supposed  to 
have  been  a  Gentile  convert,  and  the  address  most  excel- 


I.  3-5.]  CHAPTER  I.  3 

lent  is  thought  by  many  to  mark  huTi  as  a  man  of  rank, 
though  not  necessarily  so. 

4.  That  thou  mightest  know  thoroughly,  or  clearly, 
the  certainty,  the  unshaken  and  immovable  character  of 
the  things,  the  doctrines  {}my'ov  not  merely  TpayijA-wv  of 
ver.  i),  wherein  thou  wast  instructed,  catechized  (as  the 
orignal  word  is).  Theophilus,  it  appears,  had  been,  in 
accordance  with  early  custom,  instructed  before  he  was 
baptized.  Luke  proposes  by  his  narrative  to  confirm  him 
in  his  faith.  The  assurance  of  the  doctrines  is  to  come 
from  accuracy  in  the  history.  "  Luke  wrote  from  the 
dispassionate  consciousness  that  Christianity,  as  it  sub- 
sisted for  him  as  the  Pauline  contents  of  faith,  had  its 
firm  basis  of  truth  in  the  evangelical  history  of  salva- 
tion "  (Meyer). 

\\\  like  manner  may  a  careful  study  of  this  gospel 
history  increase  our  knowledge  and  confirm  our  faith. 

5-7.  There  was  in  the  days  of  Herod,  king  of  Judsea,  a  certain  priest 
named  Zacharias,  of  the  course  of  Abijah  :  and  he  had  a  wife  of  the 
daughters  of  Aaron,  and  her  name  was  EUsabeth.  And  they  were  both  right- 
eous before  God,  walking  in  all  the  commandments  and  ordinances  of  the 
Lord  blameless.  And  they  had  no  child,  because  that  Elisabeth  was 
barren,  and  they  both  were  noiu  well  stricken  in  years. 

Luke  goes  further  back  into  the  particulars  of  the  his- 
tory of  the  development  of  the  plan  of  salvation  than  the 
other  evangelists.  After  the  general  introduction,  in  his 
first  four  verses,  he  begins  in  a  manifestly  different  style, 
as  though  copying  from  records  he  deemed  authentic, 
kept  in  the  Aramaic  dialect  of  the  Jews.  The  particu- 
larity of  his  statements  about  persons,  places  and  times 
is  very  noticeable. 

5.  In  the  days  of  Herod.  But  as  there  were  several 
of  this  name,  our  accurate  author  specifies  the  king  of 
Judaea  as   the   one  meant.     This   was  the  first  king   of 


4  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [1.5,6. 

Judaea  of  that  name  ;  he  was  son  of  Antipater,  an  Idu- 
mean,  descendant  of  Esau  by  bu'th,  but  a  proselyte  to 
the  Jews'  religion.  He  received  his  authority  from  the 
Romans,  under  whom  Judaea  was  a  tributary  province. 
This  Herod  was  commonly  called  "  the  Great,"  from  his 
many  warlike  exploits  and  natural  gifts  and  vigorous 
government.  He  was  great  also  in  barbarity  and  passion. 
He  reigned  from  40  to  4  B.  C,  dying  four  years  before 
the  year  from  which  the  common  designations  B.  C.  and 
A.  D.  are  reckoned,  which  shows  that  chronology  to  be 
wrong  by  four  years. 

A  certain  priest — not  the  high  priest — came  on  the 
stage  of  the  drama  Luke  is  describing,  named  Zacharias, 
which  means  the  Lord  remembers.  The  priests  had  been 
divided  by  David  into  24  courses  (i  Chron.  xxiv.,  etc.), 
each  of  which  officiated  at  the  temple  one  week  in  each 
six  months.  The  course  of  Abijah,  one  of  the  heads  of 
families  in  David's  time,  was  the  eighth.  Although  but 
few  of  these  courses  returned  from  the  captivity  (Ezra 
ii.  36-39),  those  who  did  return  were  divided  into  the 
original  number  of  courses,  with  the  same  names  and 
order  as  before.  These  facts  enter  into  the  determina- 
tion of  the  chronology  of  the  events  presently  spoken  of. 
This  man's  wife — for  there  was  no  priestly  celibacy  in 
those  days — was  of  the  daughter  of  Aaron,  also  of 
priestly  descent.  Her  name — Elisabeth— means  God's 
oath.  Is  there  not  significance  in  the  meaning  of  these 
two  names,  which,  taken  together,  illustrate  that  God 
remembers  His  oath,  and  will  not  forget  His  promises. 

6.  Both  righteous  before  God,  who  sees  the  heart  as 
well  as  the  life.  They  were  not  sinless,  since  they  were 
but  human ;  yet  their  characters  were  pleasing  to  God. 
(Comp.  Acts  X.  35.)  Theirs  was  a  godly  walk,  in  all  the 
commandments  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord,  so  that  they 


I.  6-9.]  CHAPTER  I.  2 

were  blameless.  Nothing  could  be  said  against  their 
characters  or  lives.  They  exemplified  Psalm  i.  Such 
persons  were  Noah  (Gen.  vi.  9 ;  vii.  i),  Job  (Job  i.  8  ;  ii.  3), 
Daniel  (Dan.  v.  11,  12  ;  x.  11),  Simeon  and  Anna  (Luke  ii. 
25,  36,  37),  and  Paul  (Acts  xxiii.  i  ;  Phil.  iii.  6),  in  their 
times. 

7.  The  great  trial  of  their  lives  was  that  they  had 
no  child.  God  has  implanted  in  the  human  heart  a  de- 
sire for  offspring,  and  in  those  days  to  be  childless  was 
regarded  as  a  judgment  of  God.  As  at  the  time  men- 
tioned the  wife  was  barren,  and  they  both  were  well 
stricken,  advanced,  in  years,  they  no  longer  had  any 
hope  of  posterity. 

8-12.  Now  it  came  to  pass,  while  he  executed  the  priest's  office  before 
God  in  the  order  of  his  course,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  priest's  office, 
his  lot  was  to  enter  into  the  temple  of  the  Lord  and  burn  incense.  And 
the  whole  multitude  of  the  people  were  praying  without  at  the  hour  of 
incense.  And  there  appeared  unto  him  an  angel  of  the  Lord  standing  on 
the  right  side  of  the  altar  of  incense.  And  Zacharias  was  troubled 
when  he  saw  Imn,  and  fear  fell  upon  him. 

8,  9.  The  priests'  daily  duties  were  assigned  by  lot 
(Prov.  xvi.  33),  as  well  as  the  order  of  service  of  the 
several  courses  ;  and  so  nothing  of  the  services  was  left  to 
any  one's  fancy,  to  do  or  neglect  it.  Everything  was 
assigned.  On  this  occasion  Zacharias'  lot  was  to  enter 
into  the  temple  of  the  Lord  and  burn  incense.  The  di- 
rections concerning  the  offering  and  composition  of  this 
incense  may  be  seen  in  Ex.  xxx.  7-10,  34-38.  It  was 
offered  every  morning  and  evening  on  the  golden  altar 
of  the  Sanctuary  before  the  Holy  of  Holies.  None  but 
priests  dared  offer  it.  The  fire  upon  which  it  was  burnt 
was  taken  from  the  altar  of  sacrifice  before  the  temple. 
The  fumes  that  ascended  from  the  incense  represented 
the  prayers  of  God's  people.     (Comp.  Rev.  viii.  1-4.) 


6  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [1.10-12. 

10.  None  but  the  officiating  priest  was  in  the  sanct- 
uary at  such  a  time.  But  the  whole  multitude  of  the 
people  were  praying  without,  in  the  temple  court,  in 
silence,  at  the  hour  of  incense.  An  impressive  scene, 
indeed.  Probably  David  had  such  a  scene  in  mind  when 
he  used  the  words  of  Ps.  cxli.  2,  which  again  are  appro- 
priately found  in  our  "  Order  of  Evening  Service,"  where, 
all  standing,  the  minister  says,  "  Let  my  prayer  be  set 
forth  before  thee  as  incense,"  and  the  people  respond, 
"And  the  lifting  up  of  my  hands  as  the  evening  sacri- 
fice," and  then  the  closing  devotional  exercises  follow. 

Jesus  has  entered  into  "  heaven  itself,"  there  to  appear 
in  the  presence  of  God  for  us.  We  are  waiting  without, 
praying  in  His  name,  until  He  appear  with  the  blessings 
of  full  salvation  (Heb.  ix.  28). 

11,  12,  The  last  of  the  Old  Testament  prophets  that 
had  to  do  with  angels  was  Zachariah,  who  lived  500  years 
before  this  time  ;  and  now  to  his  namesake,  the  priest, 
there  appeared  an  angel  of  the  Lord,  the  same  that  had 
appeared  to  Daniel  (Dan.  viii.  16;  ix.  21),  Gabriel  by  name, 
a  prime  minister,  we  may  say,  of  heaven  (ver.  19), 
standing  on  the  right  side  (as  the  priest  faced)  of  the 
altar  of  incense  ;  that  is,  on  the  north  side,  between  the 
altar  and  the  table  of  shewbread.  Notice  the  exactness 
of  statement.  No  wonder  Zacharias  was  troubled  and 
stricken  with  fear  ;  ever  since  man's  conscience  was  de- 
filed by  sin  and  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  was 
gained,  he  has  been  afraid  of  God's  glorious  mani- 
festation of  Himself.  And  this  though  Zacharias  was  a 
"  righteous  "  man  and  "  blameless."  Is  it  not  well,  then, 
that  God's  word  is  preached  to  man  by  man,  and  not  by 
angels? 

13-17.  But  the  angel  said  unto  him,  Fear  not,  Zacharias:  because  thy 
supplication  is  heard,  and  thy  wife  Elisabeth  shall  bear  thee  a  son,  and 


I.  13.]  CHAPTER  I.  7 

thou  shalt  call  his  name  John.  And  thou  shalt  have  joy  and  gladness  ;  and 
many  shall  rejoice  at  his  birth.  For  he  shall  be  great  in  the  sight  of  the 
I^ord,  and  he  shall  drink  no  wine  nor  strong  drink ;  and  he  shall  be  filled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  even  from  his  mother's  womb.  And  many  of  the 
children  of  Israel  shall  he  turn  unto  the  Lord  their  God.  And  he  shall  go 
before  his  face  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elijah,  to  turn  the  hearts  of  the 
fathers  to  the  children,  and  the  disobedient  to  walk  in  the  wisdom  of  the 
just ;  to  make  ready  for  the  Lord  a  people  preparedyi^r  him. 

13.  The  heavenly  messenger's  first  words — the  first 
from  heaven  in  the  N.  T.  record — were  those  blessed 
ones,  Fear  not.  So  had  the  word  of  the  Lord  come  to 
Abram  nearly  2,000  years  before  (Gen.  xv.  i),  and  how 
often  it  sounds  from  the  sacred  word.  Thy  supplication 
is  heard.  Some  take  this  to  mean  his  personal  prayer 
for  offspring,  put  up  often  in  years  past,  and  now  remem- 
bered before  God,  though  he  had  ceased  to  offer  it. 
*'  Prayers  of  faith  are  filed  in  heaven,  and  are  not  forgotten, 
though  the  thing  prayed  for  is  not  presently  given. 
Prayers  made  when  we  were  young  and  coming  into 
the  world,  may  be  answered  when  we  are  old  and  going 
out  of  the  world"  (Matt.  Henry).  Others  think  the 
prayer  referred  to  was  the  one  just  then  put  up  by  him 
and  the  people  for  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  or  for  the 
salvation  of  Israel  and  the  world.  Why  should  we  not 
include  all  these  objects  as  the  substance  of  his  prayers, 
both  uttered  and  unexpressed,  and  now  to  be  realized  ? 
Thy  wife  Elisabeth  shall  bear  thee  a  son,  and  that  will 
answer  thy  personal  prayer ;  and  that  son  shall  usher  in 
the  Messiah,  in  whom  all  thy  prayers  shall  find  answer. 
And  thou  shalt  call  his  name  John.  Will  any  one  ask, 
"  What's  in  a  name  ?  "  since  God  thus  carefully  assigns 
names  to  His  chosen  ones?  See  Matt.  i.  21.  "John" 
means  "  Jehovah's  gracious  gift,"  or,  making  a  sentence 
of  it,  "Jehovah  is  gracious."  He  remembers  ("Zacha- 
rias  ")  His  oath  ("  Elisabeth  ").     See  on  ver.  5. 


8  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [i.  14-16. 

14.  And  thou  shall  have  joy  and  gladness,  exultation. 
This  represents  the  personal  and  family  joy  ;  but  this 
would  expand  to  a  much  wider  circle,  for  many  shall  re- 
joice at  his  birth.  This  shows  the  large  extent  of  the 
influence  of  the  promised  son,  which  is  still  further  re- 
cited in  the  verses  following,  See  his  father's  prophecy 
at  the  time  of  the  child's  circumcision  (vers.  67-79). 

15.  Herod  was  called  "  great  "  by  men  ;  John  would  be 
great  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  that  is  the  only  real, 
true  greatness  !  The  Lord's  opinion  of  him  (Matt.  xi.  1 1) 
was  that  among  them  that  are  born  of  women  there  had 
not  risen  a  greater  personage.  His  greatness  lay  in  both 
his  character  and  his  ofifice ;  and  it  was  a  gracious  gift  of 
Jehovah  (John),  not  the  result  of  ordinary  instrumentali- 
ties. Shall  drink  no  wine  nor  strong  drink  made  of  any- 
thing else  than  the  fruit  of  the  vine.  He  shall  be  z.Naza- 
rite,  the  law  of  which  service  is  fully  laid  down  in  Num- 
bers, chap.  vi.  "  Nazarite  means  separated,  and  denotes 
one  specially  devoted.  As  the  leper  was  the  living 
symbol  of  sin,  so  was  the  Nazarite  of  holiness"  (Brown), 
Ordinarily  the  Nazarite's  vow  was  voluntary  and  tempo- 
rary ;  in  the  case  of  John,  as  in  those  of  Samson  and 
Samuel,  it  was  lifelong.  And  he  shall  be  filled  with  the 
Holy  Ghost — but  how  soon?  Even  from  his  mother's 
womb,  from  the  beginning  of  his  being,  a  sanctified  child 
growing  up  into  a  sanctified  manhood  and  life.  (Comp. 
ver.  41.  See  Eph.  v.  18.)  John's  development  will  not 
be  sensual,  but  spiritual.  See  Is.  xlix.  i,  5;  Jer.  i.  5; 
Gal.  15,  16,  and  consider  the  divine  knowledge,  and  the 
possibilities  of  spiritual  impressions  on  children — even 
before  they  are  born — and  both  bring  your  children  to 
baptism,  and  train  them  up  zuith  more  faitJi  in  the  opera- 
tion of  God  who  has  promised. 

16.  John's  personal  mission  was  to  be  to  the  children 


1.  i6,  17.]  CHAPTER  I.  9 

of  Israel,  the  people  through  whom  God's  plan  of  salvation 
was  to  be  made  known  to  mankind.  Many  of  them  he 
was  destined  to  turn  to  the  Lord  their  God.  His  preach- 
ing would  be  repentance,  which  is  a  turning.  In  chap.  vii. 
29,  30;  Matt.  iii.  5,  6;  Mark  i.  3,  we  have  a  record  of  the 
fulfilment  of  this. 

17.  And  he  (John)  shall  go  before  his  face — that  is,  be- 
fore the  Lord  their  God,  just  before  mentioned,  when  He 
would,  according  to  the  prophecies,  become  manifest  in 
the  flesh,  in  the  person  of  Jesus — in  the  spirit  and  power 
of  Elijah,  a  man  of  prophetic  spirit  and  influential  power 
like  that  greatest  of  the  old-time  prophets.  In  dress 
(Matt.  iii.  4;  2  Kings  i.  8),  in  manner  of  life,  retired  from 
the  world  (i.  80),  in  preaching  of  repentance  and  reforma- 
tion to  a  degenerate  people,  in  zeal  and  testimony,  in 
effectiveness,  in  persecution  by  rulers,  John  and  Elijah 
were  much  alike.  John  was  not  the  person  Elijah  (John 
i,  21),  but  had  the  "spirit  and  power"  of  that  prophet, 
and  so  was  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy  of  Malachi 
(iv.  5,  6)  as  we  learn  from  our  Lord's  own  interpretation 
(Matt.  xi.  14;  xvii.  10-13).  It  had  been  400  years  since  a 
prophet  had  appeared  in  Israel :  now  by  angelic  mes- 
senger the  beginning  of  the  new  era,  which  is  to  be  the 
fulfilment  of  the  old,  is  announced.  To  turn  the  hearts 
of  the  fathers  to  the  children.  To  restore  society,  which 
has  its  foundation  in  the  home,  in  right  relations  between 
parents  and  children,  and  which  had  become  degenerate 
in  the  preceding  days.  John  would  be  one  of  those 
spoken  of  in  Is.  Iviii.  12.  He  would  turn  the  hitherto 
disobedient  so  that  they  would  walk  in  the  wisdom  of  the 
just,  the  thoughtful  ways  of  the  obedient.  Others, 
making  this  passage  more  closely  interpretative  of  Mai. 
iv.  6,  make  "children"  and  "disobedient"  refer  to  the 
same,   namely,  degenerate  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  "  the 


lo  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST  LUKE.  [i-  17-19- 

just"  and  "fathers"  to  early  and  believing  Israel,  the 
heroes  of  faith  (Heb.  xi.)  of  old,  and  explain  that  John 
shall  be  the  restorer  of  the  right  ways  of  the  fathers,  from 
which  the  children  had  degenerated.  His  ministry  is 
summed  up  in  the  clause  to  make  ready  for  the  Lord  a 
people  prepared.  "John  prepares  the  people  in  such  a 
way  that  they  are  disposed  to  receive  the  Messiah.  Of 
course  it  is  the  ideal  task  of  the  forerunner  that  is  de- 
scribed here.  In  reality  this  plan  will  succeed  only  in  so 
far  as  the  people  shall  consent  to  surrender  themselves  to 
the  divine  action"  (GODET). 

18-20.  And  Zacharias  said  unto  the  angel,  Whereby  shall  I  know  this  ? 
for  I  am  an  old  man,  and  my  wife  well  stricken  in  years.  And  the  angel 
answering  said  unto  him,  I  am  Gabriel,  that  stand  in  the  presence  of  God ; 
and  I  was  sent  to  speak  unto  thee,  and  to  bring  thee  these  good  tidings. 
And  behold,  thou  shalt  be  silent  and  not  able  to  speak,  until  the  day  that 
these  things  shall  come  to  pass,  because  thou  believedst  not  my  words, 
which  shall  be  fulfilled  in  their  season. 

18.  Whereby  shall  I  know  this?  Ver.  20  interprets 
this  question  as  characterized  by  unbelief,  although  it 
seems  in  form  similar  to  that  of  Abraham  (Gen.  xv.  8 ; 
xvii.  17),  and  of  Mary  (ver.  34).  God  who  knoweth  the 
hearts  did  not  see  in  Zachariah  the  simplicity  of  faith  that 
dwelt  in  Abraham  (Rom.  iv.  20),  and  in  the  Virgin  Mary 
(ver.  45).  That  the  priest  was  an  old  man  is  not  contrary 
to  the  fifty  year  limit  (Num.  viii.  25,  26),  which  applied 
only  to  the  Levites. 

19.  I  am  Gabriel.  The  priest  would  recognize  this  as 
the  name  of  the  angel  who  appeared  to  Daniel  (Dan.  viii. 
16;  ix.  21),  one  of  the  only  two  angels  whose  names 
are  given  in  Scripture,  the  other  being  Michael  (Jude  9). 
That  stand  in  the  presence  of  God.  Rev.  viii.  2  speaks  of 
seven  such.  Are  these  the  archangels?  This  "  man  of 
God  "  (as  the  name  signifies)  was  sent  specially  with  the 


I.  19-22.]  CHAPTER  I.  II 

good  tidings  to  Zachariah,  and  his  word  was  not  to  be 
doubted. 

20.  And  behold  the  sign  thou  askest  shall  be  also  a  re- 
proof of  thy  lurking  unbelief.  Thou  shalt  be  silent,  not 
from  choice  but  because  not  able  to  speak — shut  up  to 
thyself,  with  the  compensation  of  time  and  opportunity 
for  reflection  until  the  day  these  things  shall  come  to 
pass. 

21,22.  And  the  people  were  waiting  for  Zacharias,  and  they  marvelled 
while  he  tarried  in  the  temple.  And  when  he  came  out,  he  could  not  speak 
unto  them:  and  they  perceived  that  he  had  seen  a  vision  in  the  temple: 
and  he  continued  making  signs  unto  them,  and  remained  dumb. 

21.  The  people  were  waiting  till  the  close  of  the  service, 
and  perhaps  for  the  benediction  (Num.  vi.  23-26),  and 
they  marvelled  at  his  delay  ;  for  it  was  customary,  as  the 
Talmud  declares,  for  the  priests  to  do  their  work  in  the 
temple  with  dispatch,  in  awe  of  God. 

22.  Their  surprise  was  increased,  when  he  came  out 
and  could  not  speak  unto  them.  All  he  could  do  was  to 
keep  making  signs  explanatory  ;  from  all  which  they 
perceived  that  he  had  seen  a  vision  in  the  temple. 

A  symbolic  meaning  has  been  given  to  this  moment  in 
the  sacred  history.  Bengel  says :  "  Zachariah  while 
dumb  was  excluded  from  priestly  duty.  This  is  a  prelude 
to  the  end  of  the  ceremonial  law  at  Christ's  coming." 
Chemnitz  says  :  "  When  the  voice  of  the  preacher  (Is.  xl.) 
is  announced,  the  priesthood  of  the  Old  Testament 
becomes  silent.  The  Levitical  blessing  is  silenced,  when 
the  Seed  comes,  in  whom  '  all  the  families  of  the  earth 
are  blessed.'  " 

23-25.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  days  of  his  ministration  were  ful- 
filled, he  departed  unto  his  house.  And  after  these  days  Ehsabeth  his  wife 
conceived;  and  she  hid  herself  five  months,  saying,  Thus  hath  the  Lord 


12  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [i- 23-27. 

done  unto  me  in  the  days  wherein  he  looked  upon  me,  to  take  away  my  re- 
proach among  men. 

23,  24,  25.  The  days  of  his  ministration,  the  week  of 
service  of  the  course  of  Abijah  (vers.  5,  8,  9),  are  the  time- 
mark  in  this  reckoning,     Elisabeth  his  wife  conceived, 

naturally,  yet  according  to  the  angel's  prophecy  (ver.  13). 
She  hid  herself  for  the  reason  given  in  her  words  quoted 
in  the  next  verse,  because  her  condition  was  a  special 
ordering  of  the  Lord,  whose  further  direction  she  awaited  ; 
"  because  with  resignation  and  confidence  she  awaited  the 
emerging  of  the  divine  guidance "  (Meyer).  Hence 
the  mention  of  five  months,  which  merely  prepares  the 
way  for  the  statement  of  the  next  verse  about  what 
occurred  "  in  the  sixth  month." 

26,  27.  Now  in  the  sixth  month  the  angel  Gabriel  was  sent  from  God 
unto  a  city  of  GaUlee,  named  Nazareth,  to  a  virgin  betrothed  to  a  man 
whose  name  was  Joseph,  of  the  house  of  David ;  and  the  virgin's  name  was 
Mary. 

26,  27.  In  the  sixth  month  of  Elisabeth's  pregnancy, 
another  message  was  sent,  from  the  same  high  source, 
God  in  heaven,  by  the  same  messenger,  Gabriel,  unto  a 
city  of  Galilee  not  named  in  the  Old  Testament  or  by 
Josephus,  among  the  204  cities  and  towns  of  Galilee  that 
he  mentions,  or  in  the  Talmud,  but  here  named  Nazareth. 
(See  on  Matt.  ii.  23.  Comp.  John  i.  46 ;  i  Cor.  i.  27  ; 
I  Sam.  ii.  8,  and  Ps.  cxiii.  7,  8.)  To  a  virgin.  (See  ver. 
34.)  Betrothed  to,  engaged  to  marry,  a  man  whose 
name  was  Joseph  and  who  belonged  to  the  house,  or 
lineage,  of  David.  She  was  going  to  marry  a  man  of 
David's  royal  line.  Matthew  says  more  about  him.  (See  on 
Matt.  i.  16-20.)  Luke  says  more  about  her,  who  is  also 
supposed  to  have  descended  from  David.  Observe 
Luke's    exactness    in   giving   names.     Mary.     Same    as 


I.  27-30.]  CHAPTER  I.  13 

Miriam  of  the    Old   Testament   (Ex.  xv.  20),  and  means 
Exalted. 

28.  And  he  came  in  unto  her,  and  said,  Hail,  thou  that  art  highly 
favoured,  the  Lord  is  with  thee. 

28.  The  divine  messenger  fulfilled  his  mission.  We  are 
not  told  of  his  appearance — angels  are  everywhere  in  the 
Scriptures  represented  as  men,  generally  young  men  in 
white  raiment  and  radiant  of  countenance.  We  have 
his  salutation  to  Mary — Hail ;  this  was  not  unusual,  nor 
the  subsequent  the  Lord  is  (or  be)  with  you.  But  he  also 
called  her  highly  favoured,  i.  e.  object  of  the  Lord's 
favor.  The  word  occurs  again  only  in  Eph.  i.  6.  The 
Vulgate  rendering  gratia  plena,  taken  actively  as  "  full  of 
grace,"  is  misleading  and  is  misinterpreted  by  the  Roman 
Catholics,  The  further  address,  found  in  the  Authorized 
Version,  "  Blessed  art  thou  among  women,"  although 
found  in  many  ancient  authorities,  and  undoubtedly  gen- 
uine in  ver,  42,  is  omitted  here  by  the  best  criticism. 

29,  30.  But  she  was  greatly  troubled  at  the  saying,  and  cast  in  her  mind 
what  manner  of  salutation  this  might  be.  And  the  angel  said  unto  her, 
Fear  not,  Mary  :  for  thou  hast  found  favour  with  God. 

29,  30.     That  she  was  greatly  troubled  at  the  saying 

of  the  angel,  was  quite  natural.  How  quickly  we  think! 
And  she  cast  in  her  mind,  was  reasoning  in  herself,  be- 
fore anything  more  was  said,  what  manner  of  salutation 
this  might  be  (was).  Young,  timid,  hopeful,  Mary  said 
to  herself,  what  does  this  mean?  Quickly  the  reassuring 
word  (see  on  vers.  12,  13)  Fear  not,  ilary,  came  from 
the  angelic  visitant,  with  the  general  explanation.  Thou 
hast  found  (didst  find)  favour  with  God.  The  particular 
instance  and  illustration  of  this  follows.  Notice  here 
and  everywhere  Mary  is  spoken  of  as  a  recipient,  not  a 
source,  of  favor,  of  grace. 


14  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [i- 31-33- 

31-33.  And  behold,  thou  shalt  conceive  in  thy  womb,  and  bring  forth  a 
son,  and  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus.  He  shall  be  great,  and  shall  be  called 
the  Son  of  the  Most  High  :  and  the  Lord  God  shall  give  unto  him  the 
throne  of  his  father  David :  and  he  shall  reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob 
for  ever;  and  of  his  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end. 

31.  Behold.  Marks  something  notable,  perhaps  start- 
ling. Conceive  .  .  .  and  bring  forth  a  son.  She  would 
fulfil  one  of  her  functions  (Gen.  i.  28  ;  i  Tim.  ii.  15),  and 
on  her  part  the  result  would  be  natural.  His  name 
Jesus,  divinely  given  before  His  conception,  was  indica- 
tive of  His  mission.  (See  on  Matt.  i.  21.)  "Jesus" 
means  Saviour. 

32,  33.  He  shall  be  great,  essentially  and  not  as  John 
(ver.  15)  "  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,"  and  shall  be  called, 
according  to  His  real  nature  and  being  (ver.  35),  Son  of 
the  Most  High,  i.  e.  God.  History  has  verified  this. 
(Comp.  John  i.  34;  v.  18;  x.  29-36;  Matt.  xvi.  16;  xxvi. 
63,  64 ;  xxvii.  54.)  Somewhat  differently  Otto  v.  Ger- 
LACH  says :  "  It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  proper 
divinity  of  her  son  was  not  revealed  to  Mary  ;  otherwise, 
neither  she  nor  Joseph  could  have  been  in  a  position  to 
bring  up  the  child  ;  for  the  submission,  which  was  a 
necessary  condition  of  His  humanity,  would  have  been 
submission  only  in  appearance.  But  this  promise,  while 
it  by  no  means  abolished  the  parental  relationship,  would 
yet  direct  the  reverential  attention  of  the  parents  toward 
the  Child.  From  the  very  beginning  of  our  Lord's  in- 
carnation, we  see  that  the  knowledge  of  His  divinity  was 
not  to  be  communicated  in  an  external  and  awe-inspiring 
manner,  but  to  be  gradually  manifested  by  His  humanity 
and  His  work  of  redemption." 

That  He  should  receive  the  throne  of  his  father  David, 
marks  Him  as  the  promised  Messiah,  whose  rule  and  its 
duration  is  still  further  set  forth  in  the  rest  of  the  verse, 


I.  33-35.]  CHAPTER  I.  15 

all  according  to  the  prophetic  Scriptures  (Ps.  ex. ;  Is.  ix. 
6,  7;  Dan.  ii.  44;  vii.  13,  ff.).  As  He  was  expressly  to 
have  no  human  father,  some  think  the  expression  "  his 
father  David  "  must  refer  to  Mary's  lineage  as  from  the 
royal  line.     (Comp.  ch.  xx.  41-44.) 

34,  35.  And  Mary  said  unto  the  angel,  How  shall  this  be,  seeing  I  know 
not  a  man  ?  And  the  angel  answered  and  said  unto  her.  The  Holy  Ghost 
shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the  Most  High  shall  overshadow 
thee :  wherefore  also  that  which  is  to  be  born  shall  be  called  holy,  the  Son 
of  God. 

34.  Seeing  I  know  not  a  man.  Inasmuch  as  I  am  a 
virgin.  Mary's  question,  unlike  that  of  Zachariah  (ver. 
18),  expresses  not  doubt  or  unbelief,  but  only  innocent 
surprise,  and  perhaps  asks  for  further  instruction.  (See 
ver.  45.)  Hence  the  angel  answered  in  the  explanation 
that  follows. 

35.  The  Holy  Ghost,  to  whom  in  Gen.  i.  2  the  entire 
work  of  fructifying  the  earth  is  ascribed  (comp.  Job 
xxvi.  13;  Ps.  civ.  30;  Is.  xxxii.  15;  Ezek.  xxxvii.  9), 
shall  come  upon  thee.  Hence  we  say  in  the  Creed, 
"Conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  (See  Matt,  i,  18,  20.) 
And  the  power  of  the  Most  High — whose  Son  ver.  32 
says  the  child  shall  be— shall  overshadow  thee.  This  is 
not  merely  another  way  of  saying  the  same  thing  as  the 
former  clause  declared,  but  is  additional  to  it.  Bengel 
says,  "  The  coming  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  Mary  made 
her  fit  to  receive  the  overshadowing  of  the  power  of  the 
Highest."  By  the  dogmaticians  this  clause  is  referred  to 
the  act  of  the  Son  of  God  who  became  man,  the  Word 
who  became  flesh  (John  i.  14),  taking  up  the  human 
nature  into  His  own  personality.  The  Father  thus  sent 
the  Son  into  the  world.  HOLLAZIUS  says,  "  Overshadow- 
ing denotes  the  mysterious  and  wonderful  filling  of  the 
temple  of  the  body,  formed  by  the  Holy  Ghost."     So 


1 6  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  D- 35-37- 

the  angel  delicately,  yet  profoundly,  tells  the  virgin  of 
her  prospective  conception,  which  was  naturally  incon- 
ceivable. Wherefore  also — in  view  of  such  conception — 
the  holy  thing  which  is  begotten — (as  the  American 
Committee  of  the  Revisers  has  it,  rightly) — shall  be 
called — and  when  thus  divinely  called,  the  name  always 
indicates  the  reality — the  Son  of  Qod.  Mary's  son  would 
be  the  Son  of  God.  The  eternal  Son  of  God  became  the 
Son  of  man  in  the  womb  of  the  virgin  Mary.  (See 
Nicene  Creed.) 

Our  churches  teach,  "  That  the  divine  and  human 
natures  in  Christ  are  personally  united,  so  that  there  are 
not  two  Christs,  one  the  Son  of  God,  the  other  the  Son 
of  man,  but  that  one  and  the  same  is  the  Son  of  God 
and  the  Son  of  man  "  (FoRM.  CONC.  545  :  i). 

36,  37.  And  behold,  Elisabeth  thy  kinswoman,  she  also  hath  conceived 
a  son  in  her  old  age  :  and  this  is  the  sixth  month  with  her  that  was  called 
barren.     For  no  word  from  God  shall  be  void  of  power. 

36.  And  behold — another  wonder  confirmatory  of  what 
had  just  been  promised  Mary — thy  kinswoman — what 
the  relationship  was  is  not  certainly  known  ;  it  does  not 
prove  anything  concerning  Mary's  tribal  descent — she 
also  hath  conceived  a  son  in  her  old  age,  unexpectedly 
and  by  special  divine  providence  (as  the  following  words 
show).  The  relation  of  Elisabeth's  conception  to  Mary's 
she  will  learn  afterwards.     (See  what  follows.) 

37,  No  word  from  God  shall  be  void  of  power,  but 
every  word  shall  be  effectual  and  mighty  ;  Elisabeth  is 
already  an  illustration  of  this,  and  Mary  will  presently 
become  so.  God's  word  abides,  whatever,  whenever, 
wherever,  to  whomsoever  spoken. 

38.  And  Mary  said,  Behold,  the  handmaid  of  the  Lord;  be  it  unto  me 
according  to  thy  word.     And  the  angel  departed  from  her. 


I.  38-42.]  CHAPTER  I.  17 

38.  Here  is  the  humble  submission  of  faith  :  and  it  is 
beautiful. 

39,  40.  And  Mary  arose  in  these  days  and  went  into  the  hill  country 
with  haste,  into  a  city  of  Judah  ;  and  entered  into  the  house  of  Zacharias 
and  saluted  Elisabeth. 

39,  40.  It  looks  as  if  Mary,  who,  we  know,  afterwards 
"kept  all  these  things  in  her  heart"  (ch.  ii.  19,  51),  said 
nothing  to  any  one  about  the  angel's  appearance  to  her, 
but  with  haste  made  her  way  to  her  kinswoman  Elisa- 
beth, whose  condition  the  angel  had  made  known  to  her, 
and  who  alone  of  all  living  would  at  this  time  be  most  in 
sympathy  with  her.  Elisabeth  lived  in  a  city  of  Judah 
in  the  hill  country,  most  likely  Hebron  (Josh.  xxi.  11), 
or  some  place  in  that  neighborhood,  south  of  Jerusalem 
and  from  eighty  to  a  hundred  miles  south  of  Nazareth. 
Mary  probably  saluted  Elisabeth  with  the  Hebrews'  usual 
salutation,  "  Peace  be  with  thee  !  " 

41-45.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Elisabeth  heard  the  salutation  of 
Mary,  the  babe  leaped  in  her  womb ;  And  Elisabeth  was  filled  with  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  and  she  lifted  up  her  voice  with  a  loud  cry,  and  said.  Blessed 
art  thou  among  women,  and  blessed  is  the  fruit  of  thy  womb.  And  whence 
is  this  to  me,  that  the  mother  of  my  Lord  should  come  unto  me  ?  For  be- 
hold, when  the  voice  of  thy  salutation  came  into  mine  ears,  the  babe  leaped 
in  my  womb  for  joy.  A.nd  blessed  is  she  that  believed ;  for  there  shall  be  a 
fulfilment  of  the  things  which  have  been  spoken  to  her  from  the  Lord. 

41.  The  babe  leaped  in  her  womb.  The  inspired 
mother  declares  (ver.  44)  it  was  for  joy.  All  this  was 
supernatural.  Recall,  however,  that  John  was  "  filled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  even  from  his  mother's  womb  "  (ver. 
15)  and  that  the  Holy  Ghost  had  come  upon  Mary  (ver. 
35),  and  we  have  the  Holy  Ghost  thus  recognizing  His 
own  work  and  responding  to  Himself. 

42.  Further  now  Elisabeth  was  filled  with  the  Holy 

Ghost.     "  Goes  forth  from  the  babe  and  fills  the  mother 
2 


1 8  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [1.42-46. 

also"  (Luther).  In  consequence  came  her  outcry,  re- 
sponsive to  Mary's  salutation.  The  knowledge  Elisabeth 
here  showed  is  due  to  the  Holy  Spirit  within  her.  This 
whole  passage  abounds  in  illustrations  of  the  super- 
natural. Blessed.  "  The  first  beatitude  of  the  New 
Testament,  and,  in  a  certain  sense,  the  root  of  all  the 
rest  "  (Van  Oosterzee.     Comp.  ch.  xxiii.  29.) 

43.  Whence  is  this  to  me  ?  Note  Elisabeth's  humility 
amid  her  joy,  and  the  absence  of  all  envy.  And  hear  her 
call  Mary  the  mother  of  my  Lord.  "  Turn  this  as  we 
M'ill,  we  shall  never  be  able  to  see  the  propriety  of  calling 
an  unborn  child  'Lord,'  but  by  supposing  Elisabeth,  like 
the  prophets  of  old,  enlightened  to  perceive  the  Messiah's 
divine  nature'''  (Olshausen).     See  above. 

44.  For  behold.  Another  wonder  ;  and  putting  it  with 
what  the  angel  had  said  to  Zachariah  (ver  17),  she  gives 
it  as  "  the  ground  of  knowledge,  on  which  she  declares 
Mary  the  mother  of  the  Messiah.  She  had  the  discern- 
ment of  this  connection  through  the  Holy  Spirit,  ver. 
41"  (Meyer). 

45.  Elisabeth  commends  Mary  for  her  faith,  having 
daily  in  the  dumbness  of  her  husband  a  striking  monitor 
against  want  of  faith.  Faith  is  always  blessed.  If  we 
read  it  for  there  shall  be  a  fulfilment,  we  have  in  these 
words  a  hopeful  encouragement  of  Mary ;  if  we  read  it 
tJiat  there  shall  be,  etc.,  it  merely  marks  the  object  of 
Mary's  faith.  Either  construction  is  allowable  ;  w^e  prefer 
the  latter. 

46.  47.     And  Mary  said, 

My  soul  doth  magnify  the  Lord, 

And  my  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  God  my  Saviour. 

46,  47.  And  Mary  said.  Probably  not  with  that  "  loud 
voice "  (ver.  42)  of  Elisabeth's  salutation ;  but  in  the 
modest  quietness  of  her  sweet  virgin  character.     This  is 


I.  46,  47.]  CHAPTER  I.  19 

one  of  the  most  beautiful  passages  in  the  Bible,  a  lyric  of 
exquisite  simplicity,  worthy  of  a  descendant  of  the  sweet 
singer  of  Israel.  It  is  full  of  Old  Testament  spirit  and 
expression,  and,  of  course,  was  uttered  before  there  were 
any  New  Testament  Scriptures.  Mary  was  no  doubt 
familiar  with  the  Psalms  of  David  and  other  songs  in  the 
sacred  word,  committed  to  memory  as  they  were  wont  to 
be  by  Jewish  children,  and  read  and  sung  on  various 
public  occasions.  See  the  song  of  Moses  (Ex.  xv.),  the 
first  song  in  the  Bible,  and  Miriam's  response  ;  the  song 
of  Deborah  and  Barak  (Judges  v.)  upon  the  defeat  of 
Sisera;  the  song  of  Hannah  (i  Sam  ii.)  in  thanksgiving 
for  Samuel  ;  also  many  of  the  Psalms,  for  example,  Ps.  ii. ; 
xxxi.  7,  8  ;  xxxiv.  2,  3  ;  xcvii.  i  ;  xcix.  3  ;  cxiii. ;  cxxvi.  ; 
cxlv.  17 ;  and  the  psalms  of  Zacharias  and  Simeon,  in  this 
and  the  following  chapters  of  Luke.  Mary  was  divinely 
influenced  to  become  here  at  once  poetess  and  prophetess. 
fly  soul  (v''"/>j)— My  spirit  (-i/eD/ia).  The  spirit  is  "  the 
highest  and  noblest  part  of  man,  whereby  he  is  qualified  to 
grasp  incomprehensible,  invisible,  eternal  things ;  and  is, 
in  brief,  the  house  within  which  faith  and  God's  word 
abide  "  (Luther)  ;  the  soul,  the  mediating  organ  between 
7rv£u/^a  and  body.  We  observe  in  the  Bible  (i  Thess.  v. 
23)  a  threefold  division  of  man's  being  into  spirit,  soul 
and  body ;  yet,  probably,  in  this  emotional  utterance  of 
Mary  "  soul  "  and  "  spirit  "  are  not  to  be  specifically  dis- 
tinguished, but  taken  to  embrace  the  whole  inner  and 
higher  nature.  (Comp.  Ps.  ciii.  i.)  flagnify.  In  the 
Latin  version  this  word  is  magnificat,  and  stands  first  in 
the  sentence.  Hence  this  song  is  sometimes  called  the 
Magnificat.  We  cannot  in  anyway  increase  God's  great- 
ness ;  but  we  can  dwell  upon  it  in  thought  and  feeling, 
and  utter  it  forth  in  praise.  This  is  what  Mary  does. 
The   Lord    of  all,    whom  she   personally  calls   God,  my 


20  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [1-47.48. 

Saviour.  If  Mary  had  been  born  without  sin,  as  the 
Romish  Church  teaches,  she  would  not  have  needed  a 
Saviour.  But  that  false  doctrine  of  modern  times  is 
refuted  here  and  wherever  Mary  appears  in  the  history. 
Hath  rejoiced.  How  much  joy  had  already  filled  her 
spirit,  since  the  angel's  visit !  Pure  and  holy  joy,  of  a 
quality  and  degree  vouchsafed  to  her  alone  among  women. 
We  must  look  upon  Mary  as  imbued  v/ith  the  Jewish  idea 
of  the  office  of  the  coming  Messiah  ;  yet  withal,  better 
instructed  through  the  visit  and  words  of  Gabriel,  in  which 
her  promised  Son's  nature,  "  The  Son  of  God,"  and  office, 
involved  in  His  name  Jesus  (Saviour),  were  declared. 
Still,  her  view  was  probably  not  as  clear  and  distinct  as 
ours.  New  light  has  broken  forth  to  us  from  her  words, 
in  view  of  all  that  followed  them  in  the  sacred  narrative, 
and  with  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  both  Testaments  in  our 
hands. 

48.     For  he  hath  looked  upon  the  low  estate  of  his  handmaiden  : 

For  behold,  from  henceforth  all  generations  shall  call  me  blessed. 

48.  Low  estate.  This  denotes  humble  condition,  which 
evidently  was  also  accompanied  by  humbleness  of  mind. 
Mary  was  obscure  and  poor  ;  the  house  of  David  had  long 
been  in  obscurity.  Yet  was  she  the  Lord's  handmaiden, 
a  modest,  faithful  servant  of  God.  Hath  looked  upon, 
considered,  not  despised  or  neglected.  Yes  ;  God  saw  it 
away  back  in  Eden,  when  He  spoke  of  the  seed  of  the 
woman  that  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head !  For, 
behold,  from  henceforth  all  (the)  generations  (of  man- 
kind) shall  call  me  blessed,  shall  count  me  happy.  Elis- 
abeth had  done  so  already  (ver.  42) ;  and  until  to- 
day Mary  stands  first  among  women,  as  being  the  mother 
of  our  Lord.  Eve  brought  sin  'into  the  world  ;  Mary 
brought  in  the  Saviour ;  through  the  one  the  race   fell. 


1.48-50.]  CHAPTER  I.  21 

through  the  other  the  race  is  redeemed.  In  Mary  woman 
has  regained  her  position,  lost  by  the  fall.  But  observe 
that  this  distinction  is  altogether  from  the  choice  of  God 
and  His  divine  mercy  and  power,  not  from  any  natural 
superiority  of  Mary  above  other  women.  So,  whilst  we 
may,  indeed,  call  her  blessed — the  blessed  virgin  Mary — 
we  may  not  worship  her  in  any  sense  whatever. 

49.  For  he  that  is  mighty  hath  done  to  me  great  things ; 
And  holy  is  his  name. 

49.  Throughout,  Mary  acknowledges  the  divine  power 
as  the  cause  of  her  changed  estate,  and  takes  nothing  to 
her  own  credit.  He  that  is  mighty  (compare  ver.  37) 
hath  done  to  me  great  things,  as  promised  in  ver.  35. 
The  Almighty,  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  through 
whose  breath  (Spirit,  Gen.  ii.  7,  compare  John  xx.  22) 
man  first  became  a  living  soul,  had  by  His  creative  Spirit 
caused  this  virgin  to  conceive.  We  note  here  Mary's 
pious  joy.  And  holy  is  his  name.  "  This  feature  of 
holiness  which  Mary  so  forcibly  expresses,  is,  in  fact, 
that  which  distinguishes  the  incarnation  from  all  the 
analogous  facts  (fancies  rather)  of  heathen  mythologies  " 
(Godet).  Holiness,  everywhere  in  the  Scriptures  attri- 
buted to  God,  is  not  a  characteristic  of  man-made  divini- 
ties. 

50.  And  his  mercy  is  unto  generations  and  generations 
On  them  that  fear  him. 

50.  And  his  mercy  to  herself,  personally,  already 
celebrated  in  ver.  48,  is  on  them  that  fear  him — to 
which  class  she  and  Zacharias  and  Elisabeth  belonged — 
unto  generations  and  generations,  throughout  the  ages, 
is  unfailing,  will  be  accomplished.  (Comp.  Ex.  xx.  6.) 
The  ''  fear,"  of  course,  is  reverent,  worshipful  obedience. 


22  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [i.  50-53. 

So  "  His  mercy  endureth  forever,"  and  is  for  us  of  this 
generation. 

51-53.     He  hath  shewed  strength  with  his  arm  : 

He  hath  scattered  the  proud  in  the  imagination  of  their  heart. 
He  hath  put  down  princes  from  their  thrones, 
And  hath  exalted  them  of  low  degree. 
The  hungry  he  hath  filled  with  good  things, 
And  the  rich  he  hath  sent  empty  away. 

51,  52,  53.  He  hath    shewed    strength  with  his  arm. 

God  is  spoken  of  as  a  man  ;  the  arm  is  the  instrument 
and  symbol  of  power.  In  these  verses  the  proud, 
princes,  and  the  rich  are  one  class  set  forth  in  three 
several  relations  of  their  hearts,  their  affections,  their 
internal  character,  their  thrones,  positions  of  honor  and 
influence,  and,  finally,  their  external  prosperity  and 
abundance, — the  rich.  Among  them  we  may  count 
Herod  and  his  court,  the  Pharisees,  Sadducees  and  Scribes, 
as  well  as  the  heathen  powers  of  this  world.  On  the 
other  hand  she  puts  them  of  low  degree,  like  herself, 
such  as  would  not  be  chosen  by  human  judgment,  the 
hungry,  whose  poverty  has  been  a  chastening  of  their 
spirit  into  meetness  for  the  Spirit's  indwelling,  the  hungry 
for  righteousness,  the  dissatisfied  with  themselves,  the 
longing  souls.  The  former  are  scattered,  put  down, 
sent  empty  away  :  the  latter  are  exalted,  and  filled  with 
good.  Herein  is  set  forth  one  of  the  general  laws  of 
God's  kingdom.  See  Matt.  xix.  30  ;  Luke  xiv.  1 1  ;  xviii. 
14 ;  I  Cor.  i.  26-28  ;  James  ii.  5.  And  herein  that  king- 
dom differs  entirely  from  kingdoms  of  this  world. 

The  tense  rendered  hath  in  all  these  verses  is  the 
aorist,  and  properly  denotes  mere  past  action  finished  ; 
but  Mary  may  be  regarded  with  prophetic  spirit,  as  look- 
ing upon  these  past  instances  of  God's  working  as  illus- 
trations of  His  whole  action  in  the  matter. 


I.  S3,  54.]  CHAPTER  I.  23 

The  law  that  is  to  characterize  the  kingdom  finds  re- 
markable illustration  in  the  coming  into  the  world  of  the 
King.  Mary's  pious  joy  is  properly  shared  by  all  pious 
people.  Hence  the  inspired  words  in  which  she  gave  it 
utterance  have  for  ages  been  used  in  public  worship,  and 
we  have  her  song  in  our  order  of  Evening  Service,  as 
the  canticle  of  closing  devotions.  As  sinners  redeemed 
by  the  coming  of  Jesus  into  the  world  to  save  it,  we  can 
enter  into  the  joy  of  Mary's  song,  appropriating  it  to  our- 
selves. Already  in  this  song,  and  particularly  now,  at  its 
closing  verses,  we  note  Mary's  patriotic  joy. 

54,  55.  He  hath  holpen  Israel  his  servant. 

That  he  might  remember  mercy 
(As  he  spake  unto  our  fathers) 
Toward  Abraham  and  his  seed  for  ever. 

54,  55.  She  sings  as  a  true  Israelite,  mindful  of  her 
people's  heritage  guaranteed  by  God's  promise.  He 
hath  holpen  (old  English  for  helped')  Israel  his  servant; 
she  gathers  her  whole  people  up  in  the  name  of  their 
illustrious  progenitor ;  together  they  are  called  "  his 
servant."  She  foresees  her  people's  exaltation  through 
the  Lord's  word  and  doing  to  her.  That  he  might  re= 
member  mercy  .  .  .  toward  Abraham,  with  whom  the 
covenant  was  first  specifically  made  (Gen.  xii.  3  ;  xv.  ; 
xvii.  1-8),  and  his  seed  forever.  Lange  thinks,  "  This 
is  a  remarkable  proof  that  Mary's  expectations  concern- 
ing the  Messiah's  appearance  were  not  exclusive,  but  of 
a  universal  nature  ;  for  the  seed  promised  to  Abraham 
was  to  be  a  blessing  to  the  whole  world."  But  it  is  im- 
possible for  us  to  tell  how  far  the  Virgin's  insight  into 
the  divine  plan,  and  outlook  over  the  world,  extended. 
Presumably,  like  most  of  the  prophets,  she  spoke  more 
comprehensively  than  she  understood,  the  Spirit   speak- 


24  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [i- 54-57- 

ing  through  her.  As  he  spake  to  our  fathers  is  a  pa- 
renthetic clause,  referring  to  the  prophecies  extending 
from  the  time  of  Abram's  call.  All  God's  promises  of 
mercy  were  to  have  their  complete  fulfilment  in  the 
coming  Redeemer. 

The  Romish  doctrine  of  "  The  Immaculate  Concep- 
tion "  teaches  that  the  Virgin  Mary  was  conceived  with- 
out the  stain  of  original  sin.  Although  often  before 
broached,  it  was  officially  put  forth  as  a  dogma  of  that 
church  only  in  1854,  by  Pope  Pius  IX.  It  is  entirely  a 
doctrine  of  men,  with  no  sanction  from  the  Scriptures  ; 
and  their  continual  "  Mariolatry  " — by  which  term  the 
worship  of  Mary  is  indicated — is  a  gross  idolatry.  In 
this,  like  the  heathen,  they  worship  the  creature  instead 
of  the  Creator. 

A  close  analysis  of  this  rapturous  song  of  Mary  is  like 
tearing  apart  a  beautiful  flower.  We  may  enter  into  its 
particular  structure  and  relations  ;  but  we  are  most  im- 
pressed by  it  as  a  whole.  Commit  it  all  to  memory,  and 
learn  its  thankful,  humble,  believing,  trusting,  waiting, 
pious  spirit ;  and  join  heartily  in  the  singing  of  it  in  our 
public  worship. 

56,  57.  And  Mary  abode  with  her  about  three  months,  and  returned 
unto  her  house.  Now  Elisabeth's  time  was  fulfilled  that  she  should  be 
delivered  ;  and  she  brought  forth  a  son. 

56,  57.  About  three  months  Mary  stayed  in  the  hill 
country  of  Judah,  with  her  kinswoman.  If  any  one  should 
ask  whether  the  Spirit  did  not  know  exactly  how  long, 
and  why  here  and  elsewhere  He  says  ''about  "  so  long, 
we  say,  certainly  He  knew  but  He  was  not  concerned  to 
state  these  things  exactly. 

Elisabeth's  time  to  be  delivered  was  at  hand  (ver.  36,39), 
and  Mary  would  not  wait  for  the  stir  and  notoriety  of 


I.  57-59-]  CHAPTER  I.  25 

that  time,  but   modestly    returned   uHto   her   house   at 

Nazareth.     Some  time  after  this  occurred  what  is  written 
in  Matt.  i.  18-25. 

In  due  time  EHsabeth  brought  forth  a  son,  according 
to  the  angel's  word  (ver.  13).  The  mother  nursed  and 
fondled  it  in  rapturous  ecstasy ;  the  father  looked  at  it 
with  silent  joy,  as  he  took  it  in  his  arms,  while  in  the 
multitude  of  his  thoughts  within  him  God's  comforts 
delighted  his  soul  (Ps.  xciv.  19). 

58.  And  her  neighbours  and  her  kinsfolk  heard  that  the  Lord  had 
magnified  his  mercy  towards  her;  and  they  rejoiced  with  her. 

58.  There  was  the  usual,  in  this  case  more  than  usual, 
report  and  talk  about  this  among  her  neighbours  and  her 
kinsfolk.  "Have  you  heard  about  Elisabeth?"  They 
counted  it  all  a  mercy  towards  her,  and  rejoiced  with 
her.  Zachariah's  house  was  a  happier  place  than  ever 
before  and  more  of  a  home. 

59.  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  eighth  day,  that  they  came  to  circumcise 
the  child ;  and  they  would  have  called  him  Zacharias,  after  the  name  of  his 
father. 

59.  The  eighth  day  was  the  fixed  time  (Gen.  xxi.  4  ; 
Levit.  xii.  3  ;  Phil,  iii,  5)  for  circumcision,  and  to  this  rite 
even  the  law  of  the  Sabbath  yielded  (John  vii.  22,  23). 

They,  the  kinsfolk  and  neighbors,  came  to  circumcise 
the  child.  "  No  domestic  solemnity,"  says  Edersheim, 
**  so  important  or  so  joyous  as  that  in  which,  by  circumcis- 
ion, the  child  had,  as  it  were,  laid  upon  it  the  yoke  of  the 
law,  with  all  of  duty  and  privilege  which  this  implied  ,  .  . 
It  was,  so  tradition  has  it,  as  if  the  father  had  acted  sacrifi- 
cially  as  High  Priest,  offering  his  child  to  God  in  gratitude 
and  love  ;  and  it  symbolized  this  deeper  moral  truth,  that 
man  must  by  his  own  act  complete  what  God  had  first 
instituted."     And  they  would  have  called  (t^xaAoyv,  were 


26  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [i- 59-63- 

calling,  began  to  call)  him  Zacharias — it  was  customary  to 
name  a  boy  at  his  circumcision  and  a  girl  when  she  was 
weaned — after  the  name  of  his  father,  it  being  the  only 
child,  and  naturally  the  one  to  keep  his  father's  name 
alive. 

60-63.  ^^^  ^^^  mother  answered  and  said,  Not  so ;  but  he  shall  be  called 
John.  And  they  said  unto  her,  There  is  none  of  thy  kindred  that  is  called 
by  this  name.  And  they  made  signs  to  his  father,  what  he  would  have  him 
called.  And  he  asked  for  a  writing  tablet,  and  wrote,  saying,  His  name  is 
John.     And  they  marvelled  all. 

60-63.  His  mother,  hearing  and  noticing  this,  said, 
Not  so  ;  but  he  shall  be  called  John,  no  doubt  recalling 
what  the  angel  had  told  her  husband  (ver.  13),  and  he  had 
doubtless  told  her ;  but  they  had  probably  intimated 
nothing  of  his  name  to  any  one  else.  They  objected  that 
"  John  "  was  not  a  family  name,  and  made  signs  to  his 
father — whether  he  was  deaf  as  well  as  dumb,  or  they 
"  made  signs  "  merely  from  habit  or  convenience,  we  do 
not  know — what  he  would  have  him  called.  Zacharias 
was  not  indifferent  about  the  matter,  but  having  asked 
for  a  writing  tablet — a  tablet  smeared  with  wax  and  writ- 
ten on  with  a  stylus — he  wrote  these  words  (in  Hebrew), 
John  is  his  name.  There  was  no  doubt  or  hesitation 
in  his  mind ;  he  now  obeys  the  angel  to  the  letter. 

Besser  remarks  :  "  Zacharias  is  the  first  who  has  written 
in  the  time  of  the  New  Testament,  and  the  word  which 
he  wrote  means  God's  grace  [meaning  of  'John'].  The 
last  word  that  stands  written  in  the  O.  T.,  is  Curse  [Mai. 
iv.].     Observe  here  Law  and  Gospel." 

And  they  all  marvelled  at  this  evident  fixed  determi- 
nation on  the  part  of  both  parents  to  call  the  child  John. 

64.  And  his  mouth  was  opened  immediately,  and  his  tongue  hosed,  and 
he  spake,  blessing  God. 


I.  64-67.]  CHAPTER  I. 


27 


64.  Now  his  mouth  was  opened,  who  for  nine  months 
had  been  dumb,  immediately  upon  his  testimony  to  the 
child's  name  accordant  with  the  angel's  annunciation. 
The  sign  is  over;  the  thing  has  come  to  pass  ;  Zacharias 
has  learned  a  lesson  of  faith.  And  he  spake  [imperfect, 
began  to  speak],  blessing  God,  whose  last  word  had  been 
an  expression  of  doubt. 

65,  66.  And  fear  came  on  all  that  dwelt  round  about  them  :  and  all  these 
sayings  were  noised  abroad  throughout  all  the  hill  country  of  Jud^a.  And 
all  that  heard  them  laid  them  up  in  their  heart,  saying,  What  then  shall 
this  child  be  ?     For  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  with  him. 

65,  66.  The  effect  on  all  the  neighbors  of  all  these  events 
was  fear,  the  usual  effect  of  things  so  extraordinary  ;  "  the 
fear  also  of  a  nameless  hope"  (Edersheim).  And  in  all 
that  neighborhood  all  these  sayings  at  the  circumcision 
of  this  child  were  noised  abroad,  everywhere  reported 
and  talked  about  and  laid  up  in  their  heart,  while  all  said, 
What  then  shall  this  child  be  ?  And  all  this  from  the  evi- 
dent fact  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  His  peculiar  power 
and  leading,  was  with  him.  Not  till  thirty  years  after 
this  did  anything  occur  accordant  with  this  widespread 
expectancy.     (See  ver.  80.) 

67.  And  his  father  Zacharias  was  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  pro- 
phesied, saying, 

6^.  Zacharias  had  been  in  God's  school  of  discipline  not 
without  good  effect.  It  was  for  chastening  that  he 
endured  (Heb.  xii.  7),  and  now,  with  chastened  heart  and 
lips,  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  so  made  an  inspired 
author,  he  prophesied — uttered  forth  the  divine  will, 
whether  it  regarded  past,  present  or  future  events — in  the 
following  lyric,  which,  like  Mary's  song,  has  passed  into 
the  permanent  liturgy  of  the  Church,  and  is  able  to 
express  the  devotion  of  every  pious  heart.     Concerning  it 


28  The  gospel  of  st  luke.  [1.67,68. 

Edersheim  says :  "  Strictly  Hebrew  in  its  cast,  and 
closely  following  O.  T.  prophecy,  it  is  remarkable — and  yet 
most  natural — that  this  hymn  of  the  Priest  closely  follows, 
and,  if  the  expression  be  allowable,  spiritualizes  a  great 
part  of  the  most  ancient  Jewish  prayer,  the  so-called 
eighteen  Benedictions;  rather,  perhaps,  that  it  trans- 
forms the  expectancy  of  that  prayer  into  praise  of  its 
realization.  And  if  we  bear  in  mind  that  a  great  portion 
of  these  prayers  was  said  by  the  Priests  before  the  lot 
was  cast  for  incensing,  or  by  the  people  in  the  time  of 
incensing,  it  almost  seems  as  if,  during  the  long  period  of 
his  enforced  solitude,  the  aged  Priest  had  meditated  on, 
and  learned  to  understand,  what  so  often  he  had  re- 
peated." 

68.      Blessed  be  the  Lord,  the  God  of  Israel  ; 

For  he  hath  visited  and  wrought  redemption  for  his  people, 

68.  Blessed.  A  word  of  praise.  The  Latin  for  it  is  bene- 
dictus  ;  and  this  song  is  often  called  "  The  Benedictus," 
as  Mary's  is  called  "  The  Magnificat."  The  very  name  the 
Lord,  the  God  of  Israel,  is  a  reminder  of  His  covenant  faith- 
fulness. Jacob  inherited  the  blessing  upon  Abram,  and  be- 
came "  Israel,"  and  went  down  into  Egypt,  there  to  have  ful- 
filled the  prediction  of  Gen. XV.  5,  13,  whence  hisdescend- 
ants,  under  the  name  of  "  the  children  of  Israel,"  were 
to  be  brought  forth  as  His  (God's)  people,  with  the  mission 
to  preserve  the  knowledge  of  the  one  living  and  true  God, 
amid  the  polytheism  of  the  other  nations,  and  to  be  the 
sphere  of  the  development  of  God's  plan  of  salvation  for 
the  world.  Now  this  priest-prophet  rejoices  that  after 
their  so  long  and  varied  experience,  God  hath  visited  and 
wrought  redemption  for  his  people.  "  Visited  "  means, 
looked  upon,  considered,  with  the  idea  of  helping,  doing 
what  was  needed.     "  Redemption  "  is  a  ransom,  a  release. 


I.  68-70.]  CHAPTER  I.  29 

Vers.  74,  75,  77-79,  show  that  this  refers  to  spiritual  re- 
demption from  sin  and  its  consequences,  whatever  other 
notions  of  temporal  deliverances  may  have  found  place  in 
Zacharias'  mind.  Notice  again  the  past  tense  ''  hath  " 
although  the  prophet  saw  only  the  preliminaries,  we  may 
say,  of  what  he  now  rejoiced  in. 

69.     And  hath  raised  up  a  horn  of  salvation  for  us  in  the  house  of  his 
servant  David 

69.  A  horn  of  salvation  signifies  a  strong  salvation,  or 
a  saving  strength,  the  figure  being  derived  from  animals 
whose  strength  and  defence  is  in  their  horns.  Kingdoms 
and  great  powers  are  often  described  as  horns.  See  Book 
of  Daniel.  In  the  house  of  his  servant  David.  So  we 
say,  "  the  house  of  Hanover,"  "  the  house  of  Stuart,"  "  of 
Tudor,"  etc.  Zacharias  belonged  to  the  house  of  Aaron. 
His  reference  here  is  to  the  coming  Messiah,  to  be  born 
of  the  virgin  Mary.  During  those  months  of  Mary's  visit 
to  Elisabeth,  how  much  they  must  have  talked  over  what 
had  been  divinely  told  them,  what  had  occurred  to  them, 
and  what  the  Scriptures  had  before  announced  !  And, 
though  Zacharias  was  dumb,  yet  he  and  they  could  com- 
municate with  one  another  about  the  wonderful  doings  of 
the  Lord. 

70.  (As  he  spake  by  the  mouth  of  his  holy  prophets  which  have  been 

since  the  world  began), 

70.  As  he  spake.  Zacharias,  "  taking  up  the  golden 
thread  which  had  dropped  from  Mary,  ver.  55  "  (VAN 
OOST.),  recognizes  God's  keeping  to  His  word  spoken 
prophetically  since  the  world  began,  from  the  beginning 
of  the  age,  or  "  of  old,"  as  the  Amer.  Comm.  have  it. 
From  the  first  sound  of  the  Gospel,  in  Gen.  iii.  15,  down 
to  the  last  of  Revelation,  the  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the 


30  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [i.  70-72. 

spirit  of  prophecy  (Rev.  xix.  10) ;  and  to  the  two  disciples 
on  the  road  to  Emmaus,  Jesus  expounded  in  all  the 
Scriptures  the  things  concerning  Himself,  beginning  at 
Moses  and  all  the  prophets  (Luke  xxiv.  27).  "  The 
whole  volume  of  Scripture  did  prophesy  of  Him.  He  was 
the  sum  and  scope  of  all  their  predictions.  He  was 
Abraham's  promised  seed,  Abraham's  Isaac,  Jacob's 
Shiloh,  Moses'  Great  Prophet,  Esaias'  Immanuel,  Ezekiel's 
Shepherd,  Daniel's  Holy  One,  Zachariah's  Branch,  Mala- 
chi's  Angel ;  all  of  them  predictions  to  foretell  His  coming. 
He  was  Abel's  Sacrifice,  Noah's  Dove,  Abraham's  First- 
fruits,  Aaron's  Rod,  the  Israelite's  Rock,  the  Patriarch's 
Manna,  David's  Tabernacle,  Solomon's  Temple;  all  these 
prefigured  His  incarnation.  They  were  folds  and  swathing 
bands  of  this  babe /^i-wj-"  (Bishop  Browning). 

71.  Salvation  from  our  enemies,  and  from  the  hand  of  all  that  hate  us  ; 

71.  Our  enemies  and  all  that  hate  us.  These  terms  to 
this  patriotic  Israelite  signified  temporal  and  civil  adver- 
saries, whether  from  heathen  or  other  sources.  Zacharias 
may  have  thought  of  the  Roman  tyranny,  or  of  Herod's 
usurpation,  the  galling  bondage  of  the  Jewish  state.  But 
that  his  view  was  not  confined  to  such  adversaries  is 
evident  from  the  verses  pointed  out  above  (ver.  68), 
and  that  for  us  the  reference  is  to  those  worst  enemies, 
our  sins,  is  certain. 

72,  "jy      To  shew  mercy  towards  our  fathers, 

And  to  remember  his  holy  covenant ; 

The  oath  which  he  sware  unto  Abraham  our  father, 

72,  73.  All  this  deliverance  is  a  matter  of  God's  mercy, 
not  of  man's  merit  ;  and,  though  our  fathers  have  long 
since  gone  before,  their  rest  is  in  hope  of  the  mercy 
promised  long,  which   God's  faithfulness  is  engaged  to 


1. 72-75-]  CHAPTER  I.  31 

shew.  Note  that  Moses  and  Eljiah  came  from  the  spirit- 
world,  at  the  transfiguration  (ch.  ix.  30,  31),  and  spake  of 
the  decease  which  Jesus  was  to  accomplish  at  Jerusalem : 
Jesus  is  to  the  fathers  as  well  as  to  us  the  fulfilment  of 
God's  holy  covenant,  called  also  the  oath  which  hesware 
to  Abraham  our  father.  The  covenant  with  Noah  was 
the  world  covenant,  of  natural  life  ;  that  with  Abraham 
was  the  Church  covenant,  of  Redemption,  of  spiritual  and 
eternal  life. 

74,  75.     To  grant  unto  us  that  we  being  delivered  out  of  the  hand  of  our 
enemies 
Should  serve  him  without  fear, 
In  holiness  and  righteousness  before  him  all  our  days. 

74,  75.   However  politically   Zacharias  understood   the 
terms  delivered   out   of  the  hands  of  our  enemies,    the 

purpose  of  such  deliverance  was  the  purification  and 
freedom  of  God's  worship,  as  shown  in  the  next  clause — 
should  serve  him  without  fear.  This  is  the  enfranchise- 
ment of  true  religion  ;  and  this  is  it  which  we  rejoice  in 
in  this  country — freedom  to  worship  God  according  to 
the  dictates  of  our  own  conscience  as  enlightened  by  the 
opened  word  of  God.  And  this  has  come  to  us  through 
the  restoration  to  the  people  of  that  Bible  which  informs 
us  of  our  deliverance  and  teaches  us  how  to  use  it.  To 
serve  him  without  fear,  so  far  as  the  individual  is  con- 
cerned, is  to  be  delivered  from  sin,  which  makes  afraid  of 
God's  wrath,  and,  through  Christ,  to  be  made  sons,  no 
longer  left  in  bondage.  See  Rom.  viii.  15.  The  charac- 
teristics of  this  free  service  are  holiness  and  righteous- 
ness before  him,  the  inward  principle  and  the  outward 
activity  of  godliness,  proper  regard  for  our  relations  to 
both  God  and  man.  These  words  fully  recognize  the 
spiritual  character  of  the  deliverance  which  the  Messiah 
was  to  effect. 


32  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [i- 75-77- 

Note  that  this  father's  thanksgiving  is  based  not  on  his 
natural  affection  for  the  child  born  to  him,  but  on  his 
spiritual  perception  of  God's  mercy,  joy  at  his  manifested 
faithfulness,  and  faith  and  hope  in  one  yet  to  be  born. 

76.  Yea,  and  thou,  child,  shalt  be  called  the  prophet  of  the  Most  High  : 
For  thou  shalt  go  before  the  face  of  the  Lord  to  make  ready  his 

ways  ; 

J^i.  Turning  to  the  little  babe  the  inspired  father  said, 
Yea,  and  thou,  child,  shalt  be  called  the  prophet  of  the 
Most  High.  The  Most  High,  here  as  in  vers.  32  and  35, 
refers  to  God  Almighty,  who  was  to  be  manifested  in 
Jesus,  the  Christ.  Such  also  is  the  reference  of  the  word 
Lord  in  the  following  phrase,  the  face  of  the  Lord.  In- 
deed, Jesus  was  to  be  the  face  of  the  Lord  Jehovah,  the 
manifestation  of  Himself  to  men  ;  and  John  was  to  go  be- 
fore Him  to  make  ready  his  ways.  John' s  mission  as 
Jesus*  forerunner  is  here  set  forth,  according  to  the  pro- 
phecy of  Is.  xl.  3  and  Mai.  iii.  i,  as  also  John  declared 
himself  afterwards,  John  i.  19-28,  and  Jesus  testified  of 
him,  Matt.  xi.  7-15. 

77.  To  give  knowledge  of  salvation  unto  his  people 
In  the  remission  of  their  sins, 

17-  To  give  knowledge  of  salvation.  "  This  word,  in 
fact,  throws  a  vivid  light  on  the  aim  of  John  the  Baptist's 
ministry.  Why  was  the  ministry  of  the  Messiah  pre- 
ceded by  that  of  another  divine  messenger?  Because 
the  very  notion  of  salvation  was  falsified  in  Israel,  and 
had  to  be  corrected  before  salvation  could  be  realized. 
A  carnal  and  malignant  patriotism  had  taken  possession 
of  the  people  and  their  rulers,  and  the  idea  of  a  political 
deliverance  had  been  substituted  for  that  of  a  moral 
salvation.  If  the  notion  of  salvation  had  not  been  re- 
stored to  its  Scriptural  purity  before  being  realized  by  the 


I.  77,  78.]  CHAPTER  I.  33 

Messiah,  not  only  would  He  have  had  to  employ  a  large 
part  of  the  time  in  accomplishing  this  indispensable  task; 
but,  further,  He  would  certainly  have  been  accused  of 
inventing  a  theory  of  salvation  to  suit  His  impotence  to 
effect  any  other.  There  was  needed,  then,  another  per- 
son, divinely  authorized,  to  remind  the  people  that  perdi- 
tion consisted  not  in  subjection  to  the  Romans,  but 
in  divine  condemnation  ;  and  that  salvation,  therefore, 
was  not  temporal  emancipation,  but  the  forgiveness  of 
sins.  To  implant  once  more  in  the  hearts  of  the  people 
this  notion  of  salvation,  was  indeed  to  prepare  the 
way  for  Jesus,  who  was  to  accomplish  this  salva- 
tion, and  no  other"  (Godet).  The  salvation  John  was 
to  make  known  consisted  in  the  remission  of  their 
sins.  So  his  cry  (Matt,  iii.)  was,  "  Repent  "  ;  and  they 
were  baptized  in  Jordan,  confessing  their  sins  ;  and  John 
(John  i.  29,  36),  pointing  to  Jesus,  the  greater  One  walk- 
ing among  them,  said  :  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world  !  " 

78.  Because  of  the  tender  mercy  of  our  God, 

Whereby  the  dayspring  from  on  high  shall  visit  us, 

This  salvation  by  forgiveness  was  because  of  the  tender 
mercy  of  our  God.  That  was  its  origin.  God's  mercy 
came  to  meet  and  satisfy  man's  need.  It  came  from  the 
heart,  the  love  of  God.  "  God  so  loved  the  world,"  etc. 
"  God  commendeth  His  love  toward  us,"  etc.  The  first 
attribute  of  God  as  declared  to  Moses  was,  "  vicrciftil ;" 
and  John  the  Evangelist  says,  "  God  is  Love."  It  was 
this  whereby  the  dayspring,  the  dawn  of  the  Sun  of 
righteousness  (Mai.  iv.  2),  from  on  high  (see  vers.  32,  35 
and  76)  shall  (many  ancient  authorities  read  hath  visited 
us)  visit  us,  look  upon  us  (as  in  ver.  68).  When  sin  en- 
tered the  world,  night  fell  upon  it,  and  men  began  to 
3 


34  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [1.7S-80. 

grope  for  the  light.  A  long  dark  night  it  was,  too ! 
Zacharias  saw  the  first  gleams  of  the  rising  day,  and 
blessed  God  for  the  sight  and  the  hope  it  awakened. 

79.  To  shine  upon  them  that  sit  in  darkness  and  the  shadow  of  death ; 
To  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of  peace. 

79.  To  shine  with  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ  (2  Cor.  iv.  6),  the 
Revealer  of  Him  who  is  light  (i  John  i.  5),  predicted  by 
Isaiah  (ix.  2  ;  Ix.  1-3,  compare  Acts  xxvi.  23),  upon  them 
that  sit  in  darkness  and  the  shadow  of  death.  Dark- 
ness and  death  are  the  symbols  of  sin  and  all  evil,  and 
represent  the  miserable  condition  of  this  present  evil 
world,  unenlightened  by  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  To 
guide  our  feet.  And  surely  we  all  need  a  guide  under 
such  circumstances.  Into  the  way  of  peace.  There  is 
no  peace  to  the  wicked.  Christ  is  the  way  to  and  the 
way  of  peace  !  "  Being  justified  by  faith  we  have  peace 
with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Of  this 
Zacharias  prophesied. 

80.  And  the  child  grew,  and  waxed  strong  in  spirit,  and  was  in  the  de- 
serts till  the  day  of  his  shewing  unto  Israel. 

80.  The  verbs  grew  and  waxed  strong  are  in  the  imper- 
fect tense,  denoting  what  was  going  on.  (Comp.  i  Sam.  ii. 
26 ;  Luke  ii.  52.)  The  deserts  here  referred  to  were  the 
"wilderness,"  i.e.  less  peopled  and  more  wild  parts  of 
Judaea,  including  "the  hill  country,"  but  extending 
further  north  and  south,  west  of  the  Dead  Sea  and  the 
Jordan,  from  which  John  emerged  (Matt.  iii.  i)  on  the 
day  of  his  shewing  unto  Israel,  the  time  of  the  declara- 
tion of  his  public  office  as  the  forerunner  (ver.  17).  See 
ch.  iii.  2,  3. 


CHAPTER  II. 

1.  Now  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  there  went  out  a  decree  from 
Cassar  Augustus,  that  all  the  world  should  be  enrolled. 

1.  In  those  days  is  a  general  designation  of  time,  well 
understood.  Caesar  is  the  generic  name  of  the  Roman 
Emperors.  The  word  is  reproduced  in  the  German 
"  Kaiser "  and  the  Russian  ''  Tzar."  Similarly 
"  Pharaoh"  was  used  in  Egypt  and  "  Darius"  in  Persia. 
The  distinctive  name  of  the  first  Emperor  was  Augustus, 
born  691  of  the  Roman  Era,  i.  e.  63  B.  C,  died  y6y,  i.  e. 
14  A.  D.  Other  Emperors  also  had  the  "  title  " 
Augustus.  See  Acts  xxv.  21  (Greek).  The  expression 
rendered  all  the  world  was  commonly  applied  to  the 
Roman  Empire,  which  is  here  meant.  Enrolled.  The 
exact  purpose,  whether  for  taxation,  military  service,  or 
statistics,  is  not  indicated  by  the  word. 

2.  This  was  the  first  enrolment  made  when   Quirinius  was  governor  of 
Syria. 

2.  Adt'!^  rj  aTTOYpcfi]  TzpwT-q  iyi'^ezo  7jy£/j.ov£6ovro<}  rr/?  Eupiaq 
Kupfjviou. 

The  only  variation  in  the  Greek  text  is  the  presence  or 
absence  of  the  article  before  aTzoypafu].  The  Auth.  Ver. 
accepts  it  and  translates,  "This  taxing  was  first  made 
when  Cyrenius  was  governor  of  Syria."  The  Revisers  of 
1 88 1,  rejecting  it,  translate  as  above.  Quite  a  number, 
including  Ussher,  Calovius,  Storr,  Tholuck,  Huschke  and 
Wieseler,  evidently  trying  to  meet  a  chronological  diffi- 

35 


36  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [ii.  2. 

culty,  translate,  "  This  taxation  (or  enrolment)  occurred 
sooner  than  (or  much  earlier  than)  Quirinius,"  etc.,  mak- 
ing npwTTj  have  the  sense  of  r.poripa — of  which  construction 
there  are  a  few  examples.  Others,  among  them  Lange 
and  Van  Oosterzee,  read  abrti  for  a&'rij,  saying,  in  truth, 
that  the  original  manuscript  was  without  accents  or 
breathings,  and  translate  "  The  taxing  itself  " — or,  the 
enrolment  itself — "  was  made  for  the  first  time,  when 
Quirinius,"  etc.;  explaining  that  the  decree  was  one  thing, 
the  execution  of  it  another,  and  the  two  were  not  syn- 
chronous. 

The  difficulty  arises  from  the  fact  that  the  time  when 
Quirinius  was  governor  of  Syria  was  about  ten  years  later 
— 6  to  1 1  A.  D. — than  the  accepted  time  of  Jesus'  birth. 
In  view  of  this,  some  do  not  hesitate  to  say  Luke  was 
mistaken  and  is  here  in  error.  Others,  more  sensibly 
refer  to  our  author's  usual  exactness  regarding  contem- 
porary chronolgy,  and  seek  an  explanation  of  the  appar- 
ent conflict  of  statements.  The  Bible  Commentary, 
following  Kohler,  Ebrard  and  others,  understand  Luke 
to  mean  that,  though  the  enrolment  was  ordered  by  the 
Emperor  and  prepared  for  and  partly  carried  out  by 
Herod,  it  was  not  completed,  for  reasons  it  adduces,  until 
the  time  of  Cyrenius,  which  completion  is  referred  to  in 
Actsv.  37  as  "the  taxing  "  which  Judas  and  his  followers 
tried  to  resist ;  accordingly  Canon  Cook  translates  our 
verse — "  This,  a  first  enrolment,  was  carried  into  effect 
\iYiv£T<)^  when  Cyrenius  was  Governor  of  Syria." 

Another  explanation  which  the  same  authority  gives 
as  finding  acceptance  "  with  many  considerable  scholars 
both  in  England  and  in  Germany,"  is  that  Quirinius  was 
twice  Governor  of  Syria,  the  first  time  about  A.  D.  4 — 
which  is  not  without  evidence.  SCHAFF  says,  in  Lange's 
Commentary  in  loc,  where  he  cites  authorities,  and  the 


II.  2-6.]  CHAPTER  II.  37 

whole  subject  is  discussed,  "  A  double  legation  of 
Quiriiiius  in  Syria  has  recently  been  made  almost  certain 
by  purely  antiquarian  researches  from  two  independent 
testimonies,"  which  he  goes  on  to  cite. 

Secular  writers  note  three  times  when  Caesar  Augustus 
made  a  census  of  the  people,  viz,  in  726,  746  and  'j6'j. 
The  one  in  746  may  have  been  the  one  Luke  here  refers 
to,  delayed  for  various  reasons,  or  executed  slowly  in  the 
distant  provinces  and  so  still  going  on  in  749  when  Jesus 
was  born. 

Doubtless  our  difficulty  in  determining  this  chronology 
arises  from  our  ignorance,  not  from  our  author's. 

3-5.  And  all  went  to  enrol  themselves,  every  one  to  his  own  city.  And 
Joseph  also  went  up  from  Galilee,  out  of  the  city  of  Nazareth,  into  Judaea, 
to  the  city  of  David,  which  is  called  Bethlehem,  because  he  was  of  the 
house  and  family  of  David ;  to  enrol  himself  with  Mary,  who  was  betrothed 
to  him,  being  great  with  child. 

3,  4,  5.  His  own  city,  according  to  Roman  reckoning, 
was  the  town  to  which  the  village  or  place  where  one  was 
born  was  attached  ;  according  to  Jewish  reckoning — and 
the  enrolment  was  going  on  in  Palestine  according  to  the 
Jewish  rather  than  the  Roman  method  (Judaea  was  sub- 
ject to  Rome  at  this  time,  though  not  yet  made  a  Roman 
"province"), — "his  own  city"  was  determined  by  the 
tribal  and  family  connection.  Therefore,  as  he  belonged 
to  the  house  and  family,  direct  lineage,  of  David, 
Joseph  went  up  to  the  city  of  David,  where  that  great 
ancestor  was  born  (i  Sam.  xvii.  11).  The  clause  with 
riary,  etc.,  may  be  taken  with  to  enrol  himself,  but  it 
rather  belongs  to  the  whole  preceding  sentence.  Mary's 
presence  was  not  required  by  law  ;  but  it  was  her  will  to 
accompany  him,  whose  legal  wife  she  was  (Matt.  i.  24,  25), 
though  actually  only  his  betrothed,  whose  condition, 
being  great  with  child,  had  been  satisfactorily  explained 


38  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [11-6,7. 

to  him  by  an  angel  (Matt.  i.  20-23).  May  we  not  rightly 
suppose  that  Mary,  in  accordance  with  what  the  angel 
had  said  to  her  about  God's  giving  her  son  "  the  throne 
of  his  father  David  "  (ch.  i.  32),  and  other  intimations 
she  had  received  concerning  him  while  with  Elisabeth  as 
well  as  afterwards  in  conversation  with  Joseph  (of  which 
we  read  in  Matt.),  saw  the  propriety  of  this  sons  being 
born  in  Bethlehem,  and  that  she  expected  that  which 
afterwards  came  to  pass,  though  without  any  knowledge 
of  the  attendant  circumstances?  Her  condition  doubt- 
less exposed  her  to  people's  "  talk  "  at  Nazareth ;  no- 
body understood  the  situation  but  Elisabeth,  away  in 
Judaea,  and  herself,  and  at  last  Joseph  ;  and  we  note  that, 
afterwards  (Matt.  ii.  22,  23),  they  intended  to  make  their 
home  in  Judaea,  until  divinely  directed  otherwise. 

6,  7.  And  it  came  to  pass,  while  they  were  there,  the  clays  were  fulfilled 
that  she  should  be  delivered.  And  she  brought  forth  her  firstljorn  son ; 
and  she  wrapped  him  in  swaddling  clothes,  and  laid  him  in  a  manger,  be- 
cause there  was  no  room  for  them  in  the  inn. 

6,  7.  And  it  came  to  pass,  not  by  any  chance  or  ac- 
cident, but  in  the  direction  of  God's  providence,  while 
they  were  there,  in  Bethlehem,  the  city  of  David,  the 
days  were  fulfilled,  etc.  She  could  have  expected  this, 
from  natural  knowledge.  And  she  brought  forth  her  son. 
The  word  of  the  angel  (ch.  i.  31,  35)  was  so  far  fulfilled, 
a  pledge  that  all  he  had  said  would  be  accomplished  (ch. 
i.  45,  54,  55).  Her  firstborn.  The  Greek  has  the  article. 
Whilst  this  might  be  said  where  there  was  but  one  child, 
the  presumption  from  Matt.  i.  25  with  Matt.  xiii.  55,  56 
is  that  Mary  had  other  children  whose  father  was  Joseph. 
See  another  theory,  in  exposition  of  the  latter  passage,  by 
Dr.  Schaeffer  (Vol.  I.  of  this  Commentary) — a  view  we 
do  not  accept. 


II.  7]  CHAPTER  II.  39 

There  is  not  a  particle  of  proof  from  the  Scriptures  of 
the  perpetual  virginity  of  Mary,  but  just  the  contrary. 

She  wrapped  him  in  swaddling  clothes,  bands 
wrapped  close  around  the  body,  as  babes  are  wont  to  be 
treated,  and  laid  him  in  a  manger,  a  trough  from 
which  the  cattle  were  wont  to  eat.  Because  there  was 
no  room  for  them,  for  this  family  of  strangers,  in  the 
inn,  in  the  caravansary  where  travellers  put  up.  It  was 
full,  in  consequence  of  the  large  attendance  of  people, 
come  for  a  like  purpose  with  Joseph.  "The  khan  (or 
caravanserai)  of  a  Syrian  village,  at  that  day,  was  prob- 
ably identical,  in  its  appearance  and  accommodation, 
with  those  which  still  exist  in  modern  Palestine.  A 
khan  is  a  low  structure,  built  of  rough  stones,  and  gen- 
erally only  a  single  story  in  height.  It  consists  for  the 
most  part  of  a  square  enclosure,  in  which  the  cattle  can 
be  tied  up  in  safety  for  the  night,  and  an  arched  recess 
for  the  accommodation  of  travellers.  The  paved  floor  of 
the  large  khan  might  contain  a  series  of  such  recesses, 
which  are,  in  fact,  low  small  rooms  with  no  front  wall  to 
them.  They  are,  of  course,  perfectly  public  ;  everything 
that  takes  place  in  them  is  visible  to  every  person  in  the 
khan.  They  are  also  totally  devoid  of  even  the  most 
ordinary  furniture.  The  traveller  may  bring  his  own 
carpet  if  he  likes,  may  sit  cross-legged  upon  it  for  his 
meals,  and  may  lie  upon  it  at  night.  As  a  rule,  too,  he 
must  bring  his  own  food,  attend  to  his  own  cattle,  and 
draw  his  own  water  from  the  neighboring  spring.  He 
would  neither  expect  nor  require  attendance,  and  would 
pay  only  the  merest  trifle  for  the  advantage  of  shelter, 
safety,  and  a  floor  on  which  to  lie.  But  if  he  chances  to 
arrive  late,  and  the  Icezvans  were  all  occupied  by  earlier 
guests,  he  would  have  no  choice  but  to  be  content  with 
such  accommodation  as  he  could  find  in   the  courtyard 


40 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [n.  7,  8. 


below,  and  secure  for  himself  and  his  family  such  small 
amount  of  cleanliness  and  decency  as  are  compatible 
with  an  unoccupied  corner  of  the  filthy  area,  which  must 
be  shared  with  horses,  mules,  and  camels.  ...  In 
Palestine  it  not  unfrequently  happens  that  the  entire 
khan,  or  at  any  rate  the  portion  of  it  in  which  the  animals 
are  housed,  is  one  of  those  innumerable  caves  which 
abound  in  the  limestone  rocks  of  its  central  hills.  Tra- 
dition strongly  points  to  a  cave  of  this  kind  as  the  place 
where  our  Saviour  was  born,  and  over  the  supposed  place 
there  now  stands  the  Church  of  the  Nativity,  making  in 
its  elegance  a  sharp  contrast  with  its  original  condition  as 
a  stable  "  (Farrar).  Travellers  in  Switzerland  are  struck 
with  the  close  connection  of  the  abodes  respectively  of 
the  human  beings  and  the  beasts,  they  often  being  under 
the  same  roof:  and  Dr.  THOMSON  {The  Land  and  the 
Book)  says  of  the  Holy  Land  :  "  It  is  common  to  find 
two  sides  of  the  one  room,  where  the  native  farmer  re- 
sides with  his  cattle,  fitted  up  with  these  mangers,  and 
the  remainder  elevated  about  two  feet  higher  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  the  family.  The  mangers  are  built  of 
small  stones  and  mortar,  in  the  shape  of  a  box,  or  rather 
of  a  kneading-trough,  and,  when  cleaned  up  and  white- 
washed, as  they  often  are  in  summer,  they  do  very  well 
to  lay  little  babes  in.  Indeed,  our  own  children  have 
slept  in  them  in  our  rude  summer  retreats  in  the  moun- 
tains." 

8.     And  there  were  shepherds  in  the  same  country  abiding  in  the  field, 
and  keeping  watch  by  night  over  their  flock. 

8.  There  were  shepherds,  whose  occupation  Mas  a  very 
common  one  in  those  days  and  lands,  in  the  same  coun- 
try of  Bethlehem,  in  that  neighborhood.  Abel  was  a 
shepherd,  and   ever  since  his  day  shepherds  have   been 


11.  8,  9-]  CHAPTER  II.  41 

conspicuous  in  sacred  history.  Moses  and  David  both 
were  shepherds  once.  Under  the  figure  of  a  shepherd 
God's  care  of  His  people  is  often  tenderly  set  forth  in 
the  Scriptures.  Perhaps  no  text  is  better  known  or  more 
loved  than  that  one — "  The  Lord  is  my  Shepherd  ;  I 
shall  not  want  ;  "  and  when  we  sing,  "  Saviour,  like  a 
shepherd,  lead  us,"  we  seem  to  come  into  relations  of 
tender  nearness  to  our  gracious  Lord.  The  Jud?ean 
shepherds  were  a  favored  few  on  the  occasion  set  forth 
in  our  lesson.  Abiding  in  the  field,  not  in  houses  in  the 
town  or  city,  but  living  in  the  open  air,  and  keeping 
watch,  probably  by  turns,  by  night  over  their  flock. 
Edersheim  thinks  these  were  not  the  ordinary  flocks 
that  pastured  in  the  wilderness,  in  the  open  country  away 
from  human  habitations,  but  those  that  were  intended 
for  the  temple  service,  which  lay  close  to  Bethlehem,  on 
the  road  to  Jerusalem,  and  that  these  lay  out  all  the  year 
round.  He  thinks  there  is  no  adequate  reason  for  ques- 
tioning the  historical  accuracy  of  Dec.  25th  as  the  date 
of  Christ's  birth. 

9.  And  an  angel  of  the  Lord  stood  by  them,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
shone  round  about  them  :  and  they  were  sore  afraid. 

9.  This  was  a  great  surprise  and  astonishment  to  them ; 
but  it  need  not  be  to  us,  for  we  know  that  God  is  wont 
to  visit  and  exalt  with  His  favor  the  humble,  choosing 
shepherds  before  kings.  An  angel  of  the  Lord  (there  is 
no  article  in  the  Greek),  not  the  angel  of  the  Lord  in  the 
sense  of  the  second  person  in  the  Trinity.  For  this  time 
the  message  was  about,  not  by,  that  adorable  second  per- 
son in  the  Godhead.  Stood  by  them,  all  at  once,  prob- 
ably appearing  in  the  air  overhead.  And  the  glory  of 
the  Lord,  such  as  they  had  read  and  heard  of  in  con- 
nection with  previous  sacred  history,  shone  round  about 


42  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [ii.  9-11. 

them,  still  further  impressing  their  minds  with  the  super- 
natural and  heavenly  character  of  what  was  transpiring. 
No  wonder  they  were  sore  afraid  at  such  a  visitation. 
(Comp.  i.  12,  29  ;  ix.  34  ;  xxiv.  4,  5,  etc.) 

10,  II.  And  the  angel  said  unto  them,  Be  not  afraid ;  for  behold,  I  bring 
you  good  tidings  of  great  joy  which  will  be  to  all  the  people  :  For  there  is 
born  to  you  this  day  in  the  city  of  David  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the 
Lord. 

10.  Be  not  afraid.  God  does  not  reveal  Himself  or 
His  plans,  in  special  glory,  for  men's  destruction,  but  for 
their  salvation,  and  when  His  ministering  spirits  come 
near  to  commune  with  men,  it  is  not  to  make  them 
afraid.  The  time  will  come  when  "  all  the  holy  angels  " 
will  accompany  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  to  judgment, 
but  that  will  be  after  these  days  of  grace.  I  bring  good 
tidings  is  the  translation  of  one  word  in  the  Greek,  and 
it  is  Anglicised  in  the  word  evangelized,  and  in  old  Eng- 
lish the  word  evangel  was  used.  The  same  word  (evan- 
gelium)  appears  in  German  and  Latin  and  the  languages 
belonging  to  the  Latin  family.  The  evangel  is  the  good 
message  (angel),  bringing  tidings  which  contained  great 
joy  to  all  the  people  (for  the  article  belongs  here)  of  the 
Jews,  and  through  them  to  all  people  that  on  the  earth 
do  dwell.     The  gospel  is  the  bearer  of  joy  to  the  world. 

11.  For  there  is  born.  Reason  for  the  joy.  "The 
Word  became  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us ; "  "  born  of  a 
woman  ;  "  taking  on  Him  human  nature.  To  you,  repre- 
senting Jews  first  and  mankind  next.  In  the  city  of 
David,  the  ancestral  town  where  David  was  born,  where 
the  prophecy  (Micah  v.  2)  had  said  his  greatest  descend- 
ant should  first  see  the  light ;  in  Bethlehem,  "  house  of 
bread,"  the  true  bread  from  heaven  is  given,  that  gives 
eternal  life.  A  Saviour.  And  that  in  the  full  sense  of 
the  word.     Man,   fallen,    lost,   banished    from    Paradise, 


II.  n,  12.]  CHAPTER  II.  43 

unable  by  all  his  efforts  to  get  back,  needed  just  that  ; 
man  needs  that,  it  is  his  greatest,  his  only  want — a 
Saviour.  This  had  been  promised  again  and  again,  with 
increasing  clearness,  from  the  dark  hour  of  the  fall,  and 
now  the  bright  and  morning  star  had  come,  bursting 
forth  on  that  Judaean  night !  Joy !  Glad  tidings !  Great 
joy  !  Christ,  the  Messiah,  the  Anointed,  long  promised, 
long  expected,  has  come,  Christ,  the  Lord.  Even  though 
born  in  Bethlehem,  little  town,  born  of  a  woman,  laid  in 
a  manger,  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  yet  that  babe 
is  the  Lord,  Jehovah,  called  by  the  divinely  taught 
Isaiah  (ix.  6),  "  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  The  mighty  God, 
The  everlasting  Father,  The  Prince  of  Peace."  The 
Word  which  not  only  "  was  in  the  beginning  with  God  " 
but  also  "  was  God,"  this  Word  "  became  flesh !  "  "  Being 
in  the  form  of  God,  he  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a 
servant."  In  ver.  9  our  author  uses  "  Lord  "  twice  in 
the  sense  of  JeJwvaJi,  and  so  it  seems  used  here,  as  also 
in  the  Old  Testament  constantly. 

12.  And  this  is  the  sign   unto  you:  Ye  shall  find  a  babe  wrapped  in 
swaddling  clothes,  and  lying  in  a  manger. 

12.  They  needed  something  to  certify  their  being  right 
when  they  should  go  to  look  for  the  child.  The  unusual 
sight  of  a  newborn  child  lying  in  a  manger  would,  in 
that  little  town,  be  a  sufficient  sign  of  the  truth  of  the 
angel's  message.  In  such  and  even  rude  circumstances 
the  long-expected  great  Messiah,  the  Saviour  of  the 
world,  was  to  be  sought  and  found.  The  King  of  kings 
comes  into  the  world  with  little  of  royal  surroundings ! 

13,  14.     And    suddenly    there  was  with   the  angel  a   multitude   of   the 
heavenly  host  praising  God,  and  saying, 

Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 

And  on  earth  peace  among  men  in  whom  he  is  well  pleased. 


44  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [ii.  13,  14, 

13,  14.  Yet,  withal,  consider  that  His  humble  birth  is 
announced  by  an  angel,  and  upon  its  announcement  sud- 
denly there  was  with  the  angel  a  multitude  of  the 
heavenly  host,  a  more  than  royal  retinue,  a  shining 
phalanx  of  heaven's  army.  This  is  more  than  kingly,  it 
is  full  of  glory !  Praising  God.  It  was  the  Father  that 
sent  the  Son  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  world  ;  that  little 
child  was  His  unspeakable  gift.  Glory  to  God.  The  end 
of  all  things,  God's  glory  cannot  be  increased  by  us,  but 
it  can  be  declared,  set  forth,  proclaimed.  In  the  highest. 
In  the  highest  heavens  or  in  the  highest  strains — excel- 
ling glory.  And  on  earth  peace.  This  is  the  second 
part  of  the  angels'  song,  and  is  amplified  in  the  next 
clause,  which,  according  to  the  best  authorities,  reads  not 
good  will  toward  men,  but  to  or  among  men  of  good  will, 
men  of  God's  pleas2ire.  See  the  connection  of  this  word, 
as  translated  "good  pleasure,"  in  Eph.  i.  5,  9;  Phil.  ii. 
13  ;  2  Thess.  i.  11.  The  good  will  is  that  of  God  to  men, 
not  of  men  to  God  or  towards  one  another.  The  verb  in 
iii.  22,  "  In  thee  I  ant  well  pleased,''  has  the  same  root  as 
this  noun  rendered  "good  will"  or  good  pleasure ;  only 
as  men  are  in  Christ,  the  Son  of  God's  love,  can  they  be 
reconciled,  have  peace  and  be  objects  of  God's  compla- 
cent good  pleasure.  His  peace  is  not  human  fellowship, 
but  fellowship  between  God  and  man,  a  subduing  of  the 
enmity  that  came  in  by  the  fall.  The  clauses  of  this 
song  answer  to  one  another  as  follows:  "Glory"  to 
"peace,"  "in  the  highest  "  to  "  on  earth,"  "  to  God  "  to 
"  to  men  of  good  will."  The  Auth.  Ver  follows  the 
reading  which  has  eudoxia  (good  will,  or  good  pleasure)  in 
the  nominative  case,  and  so  there  are  three  clauses  in  the 
angels'  song,  the  last  being  either  in  apposition  with  the 
second  or  a  ground  for  the  first  two.  Van  Oost.,  Canon 
Cook,  and  Edersheim,  among  others,  strongly  advocate 


11.  I4-I6.]  CHAPTER  IT.  45 

this  reading,  and  the  latter  parallels  the  three  clauses 
with  the  threefold  blast  of  the  priests'  silver  trumpets  at 
the  laying  of  the  sacrifice  on  the  altar  before  the  temple, 
and  with  the  Tris-Hagion  (Holy,  Holy,  Holy)  of  Isaiah, 
vi.  3.  This  hymn  of  the  angels  has  been  perpetuated  in 
the  Church  by  the  Gloria  in  Excelsis,  which  can  be  traced 
to  the  second  or  third  century  and  has  been  sung  in  the 
Church  ever  since ;  it  is  one  of  the  connecting  links  with 
the  early  church  ;  it  is  sometimes  called  the  Greater 
Doxology,  and  finds  a  place  in  our  beautiful  "  Order  of 
Service."  It  is  full  of  the  marrow  of  the  gospel.  SchafY 
calls  it  "  a  truly  catholic,  classical,  and  undying  form 
of  devotion,  sounding  from  age  to  age  and  from  genera- 
tion to  generation." 

15,  16.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  angels  went  away  from  them  into 
heaven,  the  shepherds  said  one  to  another.  Let  us  now  go  even  unto  Beth- 
lehem and  see  this  thing  that  is  come  to  pass,  which  the  Lord  hath 
made  known  unto  us.  And  they  came  with  haste,  and  found  both 
Mary  and  Joseph,  and  the  babe  lying  in  the  manger. 

15,  16.  Theangels  went  away  from  this  visit  to  the  shep- 
herds very  soon.  They  had  accompHshed  their  mission  and 
must  needs  go  into  heaven,  their  home,  again.  Angels' 
visits  have  been  called  "  few  and  far  between ; "  this 
is  rather  the  language  of  unbelief  than  of  faith  ;  but  their 
visits,  so  far  as  recorded,  have  always  been  sJwrt.  Let 
us  now  go  .  .  .  and  see,  for  to  this  end  the  Lord  hath 
made  known  unto  us  the  wonderful  event.  They  first 
believed  and  afterwards  saw.  Here,  too,  as  in  vers.  9 
and  II,  "  Lord"  must  mean  Jehovah. 

Mary  is  put  before  Joseph.  In  the  (not  a)  manger. 
Everything  just  as  it  had  been  told. 

17.  And  when  they  saw  it,  they  made  known  concerning  the  saying 
which  was  spoken  to  them  about  this  child. 


46  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [ii.  17-20. 

17.  They  made  known  abroad  to  whoever  were  there- 
about, what  had  been  told  them  by  the  angel  visitor,  and 
all  about  the  angels'  song.  So  they  became  the  first 
human  preachers  of  the  gospel. 

18,  19.  And  all  that  heard  it  wondered  at  the  things  which  were  spoken 
unto  them  by  the  shepherds.  But  Mary  kept  all  these  sayings,  pondering 
them  in  her  heart. 

18,  19.  Whilst  all  that  heard  their  story  wondered,  Mary 
kept  all  these  sayings,  pondering  them  in  her  heart.  Here 
was  much  to  produce  wonder,  and  much  to  cause  thought- 
ful persons  to  ponder.  But  'tis  easier  to  wonder  than  to 
ponder,  to  be  flushed  with  excitement  than  to  weigh 
events.  "  Mary  appears  here,"  says  VAN  OOSTERZEE,  "  as 
well  as  in  ch.  i.  29  and  ii.  51,  richly  adorned  with  that  in- 
corruptible ornament  which  an  apostle  describes  (i  Pet. 
iii.  4)  as  the  highest  adorning  of  women.  Heart,  mind 
and  memory  are  here  all  combined  in  the  service  of  faith." 

20.  And  the  shepherds  returned,  glorifying  and  praising  God  for  all  the 
things  that  they  had  heard  and  seen,  even  as  it  was  spoken  unto  them. 

20.  Returned,  glorifying  and  praising  God.  A  new  song 
had  been  put  in  their  mouths.  They  go  back  to  their 
calling ;  it  was  there  the  herald  angels  found  them,  van 
OOSTERZEE  considers  "their  experience  the  best  example 
of  the  first  beatitude." 

Read  Is.  vii.  14 ;  ix.  6  ;  John  i.  14;  Gal.  iv.  4 ;  Phil.  ii.  5-7  ; 
and  compare  the  statement  of  the  Creed,  "  Conceived  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary."  Can  you  say, 
''  I  believe?'' 

See  Augs.  Conf.,  art.  iii.  ;  Luther's  Catechisms,  larger 
and  smaller,  on  art.  ii.  of  Apostles'  Creed  ;  Nicene  Creed  ; 
Form  of  Concord,  ch.  viii. ;  Schmid.  Dog.,  pt.  i.  ch.  2. ; 
pt.  iii.  ch.  2, 


II.  21-24.]  CHAPTER  II.  47 

21.  And  when  eight  days  were  fulfilled  for  circumcising  him,  his  name 
was  called  Jesus,  which  was  so  called  by  the  angel  before  he  was  conceived 
in  the  womb. 

21.  Circumcising  him.  See  on  i.  59.  "Born  of  a 
woman,  born  under  the  law,  that  He  might  redeem  them 
which  were  under  the  law  "  (Gal.  iv.  4,  5),  He  must  thus 
"fulfil  all  righteousness"  (Matt.  iii.  15).  "This  was  the 
divine  arrangement  for  His  appearing  as  the  God-man  in 
necessary  association  with  the  people  of  God  (Rom.  ix. 
5)."  (Meyer.)  On  this  occasion  first  Jesus  shed  His 
blood,  and  it  was  for  us.  And  his  name  was  called 
Jesus,  etc.     See  on  i.  13,  31,  60-63,  and  on  Matt.  i.  i,  21. 

22-24.  And  when  the  days  of  their  purification  according  to  the  law  of 
Moses  were  fulfilled,  they  brought  him  up  to  Jerusalem,  to  present  him  to 
the  Lord  (as  it  is  written  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  Every  male  that  openeth 
the  womb  shall  be  called  holy  to  the  Lord),  and  to  offer  a  sacrifice  accord- 
ing to  that  which  is  said  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  A  pair  of  turtledoves,  or 
two  young  pigeons. 

22,  23,  24.  The  days  of  their— Joseph  included  here 
with  Mary,  the  whole  family  there  together — purification 
amounted  to  forty-one  in  this  case,  according  to  the  law 
of  Moses,  written  in  Levit.  xii.  1-4.  In  connection  with 
a  sacrifice,  there  presented,  it  devolved  on  them,  in  the 
case  of  this  child  as  the  firstborn,  to  present  him  to  the 
Lord,  to  whom  the  firstborn  of  all  animals  as  well  as  men 
specifically  belonged  (Exod.  xiii.  2),  in  memory  of  the 
deliverance  from  Egypt.  By  divine  arrangement  the 
Levites  as  a  body  took  the  place  of  the  firstborn  of  Israel 
in  the  temple  service  (Numb.  viii.  17-19),  and  each  first- 
born child  was  to  be  redeemed  by  the  payment  of  five 
shekels  (Numb,  xviii.  15,  16),  amounting  to  from  two-and- 
a-half  to  three  dollars  in  our  money.  They  brought  him 
up  to  Jerusalem  for  this  ;  and  we  note  here  our  Lord's 
first  visit  to  the  Holy  City  and  the  Temple.     A  pair  of 


48  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [ii.  24,  25. 

turtle  doves,  or  two  young  pigeons,  instead  of  a  lamb 
and  one  of  either  of  these  birds,  one  for  a  burnt  offering 
and  the  other  for  a  sin  offering,  was  the  offering  pre- 
scribed for  the  poor  (Levit.  xii.  6,  8) ;  and  this  was  Mary's 
offering.  Observe  how  the  law  of  the  Lord  is  magnified 
in  all  this  proceeding  and  record. 

25.  And  behold,  there  was  a  man  ui  Jerusalem,  whose  name  was  Simeon; 
and  this  man  was  righteous  and  devout,  looking  for  the  consolation  of  Is- 
rael :  and  the  Holy   Spirit  was  upon  him. 

25.  Simeon.  Although  there  has  been  considerable 
speculation  about  this  man,  nothing  further  than  is  here 
given  is  certainly  known  about  him.  Van  Oost.  says  :  "  In 
Simeon  and  Anna  we  see  incarnate  types  of  the  expecta- 
tion of  salvation  under  the  Old  Testament.  ...  At  the 
extreme  limits  of  life,  they  stand  in  striking  contrast  to 
the  infant  Saviour,  exemplifying  the  old  covenant  de- 
cayed and  waxing  old  before  the  new,  which  is  to  grow 
and  remain."  This  man  was  righteous  in  his  life,  upright 
in  character,  and  devout  in  his  spirit,  a  truly  pious  Israel- 
ite. Looking  for  the  consolation  of  Israel.  There  was 
a  general  expectation  in  those  days  of  a  deliverer,  which 
expectation  extended  even  to  the  Gentile  world,  as  we 
see  from  the  visit  of  the  Magi  (Matt,  iii),  and  know  from 
other  sources.  This  expectation  was  part  of  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  world  for  "  the  fulness  of  time."  "  The  con- 
solation of  Israel "  is  an  expression  for  the  Messiah, 
whose  coming  the  prophets  had  held  forth  as  a  comfort 
to  the  people.  Afterwards,  in  John  xiv.  16,  Jesus  calls 
the  Holy  Ghost  "another  Comforter."  And  the  Holy 
Spirit  was  upon  him.  Although  the  Holy  Spirit  was  not 
given  (John  vii.  39)  in  general  and  to  abide  with  the 
whole  Church  forever  until  after  Jesus  was  glorified,  yet 
He  was  in   the   world  and   moved   at    times  individual 


II.  25-27.]  CHAPTER  II.  49 

hearts,  especially  giving  inspiration  to  prophets  and  the 
writers  of  the  Scriptures  (2  Pet.  i.  20,  21). 

26.  And  it  had  been  revealed  unto  him  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  he 
should  not  see  death,  before  he  had  seen  the  Lord's  Christ. 

26.  It  had  been  revealed  unto  him — in  what  manner 
we  do  not  know,  just  as  we  cannot  explain  how  spirit  in- 
fluences spirit :  "  the  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and 
thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence 
it  Cometh  and  whither  it  goeth,"  and  thus  undistinguished 
except  by  His  effects  are  the  workings  of  the  Divine 
Spirit.  That  he  should  not  see  death  before  he  had 
seen  the  Lord's  Christ.  The  times  were  revealed  to  this 
good  man,  and  he  was  assured  of  seeing  the  Messiah,  the 
Lord's  Anointed,  before  his  death.  Lange  says, 
"  Simeon  is,  in  the  noblest  sense,  the  eternal  Jew  of  the 
old  covenant,  who  cannot  die  before  he  has  seen  the 
promised  Messiah."  "The  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with 
them  that  fear  Him,  and  He  will  show  them  His  cove- 
nant !"  (Ps.  XXV.  14).  So  Jehovah  revealed  to  Abraham, 
His  friend,  the  purposed  overthrow  of  the  cities  of  the 
plain  (Gen.  xviii.  17  ff.).     'Tis  good  to  ivalk  ivith  God, 

27.  And  he  came  in  the  Spirit  into  the  temple :  and  when  the  parents 
brought  in  the  child  Jesus,  that  they  might  do  concerning  him  after  the 
custom  of  the  law, 

27.  The  day  of  our  narrative  was  when  the  parents 

for  Joseph  stood  in  the  relation  of  father  to  the  child, 
and  was  so  regarded,  and  the  historian  represents  the 
scene  as  it  appeared  to  the  ordinary  observers — brought 
in  the  child  Jesus  into  the  "  court  of  the  women,"  to 
do  for  him  after  the  custom  of  the  law,  that  is,  to 
present  Him  before  the  Lord,  offering  Him  as  the  first- 
born to  the  priest,  God's  representative,  and  then  paying 
the  redernption  price.     See  on  vers.  22-24. 

4 


50  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [11.27-29. 

Now  Simeon  came  in  the  Spirit,  under  special  Divine 
influence,  into  the  temple  on  this  occasion,  and  found 
himself  confronting  Joseph  and  Mary  with  her  child. 

28.     Then  he  received  him  into  his  arms,  and  blessed  God,  and  said, 

28.  By  the  same  Spirit  Simeon  was  made  to  know  who 
the  child  was,  and  then  he  received  him  into  his  arms — 

it  must  have  been  a  touching  and  beautiful  sight,  the  old 
man's  radiant  face,  enraptured  over  the  child,  the  little 
one's  sweet,  innocent,  painless  look,  and  the  parents'  sur- 
prised gaze  ;  and  then  the  remarkable  words  that  followed 
as  he  blessed  God  in  recognition  of  His  fulfilled  promise  ! 
The  world's  Redeemer  was  once  a  babe  in  arms  !  How 
infancy  is  exalted  and  sanctified  by  this  fact  !  How  the 
humiliation  of  the  Son  of  God  is  here  set  forth  ! 

29-32.     Now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart,  O  Lord, 
According  to  thy  word,  in  peace ; 
For  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation, 
Which  thou  hast  prepared  before  the  face  of  all  peoples  ; 
A  light  for  revelation  to  the  Gentiles, 
And  the  glory  of  thy  people  Israel. 

29  ff.  The  first  verse  of  this  reads  like  a  prayer ;  but 
lettest  is  in  the  indicative  mood,  and  the  sentence  is  an 
assertion.  As  if  Simeon  had  said,  "  'Tis  done  ;  the  wait- 
ing and  watching  are  over  ;  I  am  dismissed,  satisfied  !  " 
The  word  rendered  Lord  here  is  not  the  usual  one,  but 
that  from  which  we  get  our  English  "  despot,"  and  simi- 
larly servant  is  "  slave."  The  margin  renders  the  former 
word  "  Master."  Meyer  translates  it  "  Ruler  " — which 
is  very  good.  Ellicott  says,  "  Simeon  speaks  as  a 
slave  who,  through  the  night  of  long,  weary  years,  has 
been  standing  on  the  watch-tower  of  expectation,  and  is 
at  last  set  free  by  the  rising  of  the  sun."  Somewhat 
similarly  GODET  says,  "  Simeon  represents  himself  under 


n.  29-32.]  CHAPTER  11.  5 1 

the  image  of  a  sentinel  whom  his  master  has  placed  in 
an  elevated  position,  and  charged  to  look  for  the  appear- 
ance of  a  star,  and  then  announced  it  to  the  world."  He 
sees  this  long-desired  star ;  he  proclaims  its  rising,  and 
asks  to  be  relieved  of  the  post  he  has  occupied  so  long. 
Now  my  waiting  is  over  :  I  may  depart  in  peace,  having 
attained  the  expected  end.  According  to  thy  word. 
See  ver.  26. 

Note  the  three  terms  Simeon  uses  in  reference  to  the 
child  he  holds  in  his  arms.  Thy  salvation.  See  i.  71, 
'jy.  Ever  since  the  fall  there  has  been  an  expectation  of 
deliverance,  to  come  from  God.  The  divine  plan  was 
gradually  made  plainer,  until  now  Simeon's  expectant 
eyes  have  seen  it  embodied  in  this  babe.  Salvation  was 
to  be  in  and  through  the  person  of  the  Messiah.  Which 
thou  hast  prepared  before  the  face  of  all  peoples,  of  all 
the  nations  or  peoples  of  the  world.  God  works  accord- 
ing to  infinitely  wise  plans  ;  He  prepares  what  He  designs  ; 
and  had  now  made  salvation  ready  for  the  world.  The 
distinctive  mission  of  the  people  of  Israel  is  now  about 
accomplished.  A  light  for  revelation  to  the  Gentiles. 
Simeon  had  the  true  Old  Testament  view  of  the  coming 
salvation  ;  that,  though  it  was  to  come  through  Israel,  it 
was  to  bey(?r  the  world.  He  takes  a  more  comprehen- 
sive view  than  Zacharias.  Every  careful  student  of  the 
prophecies  might  have  seen  in  them  this  expansion  of  the 
Messiah's  work.  Take  Is.  xlix.  6  as  one  example  of  the 
plainness  of  the  Old  Testament  statements.  But  the 
Jews  were  blinded  by  pride  and  prejudice.  The  after 
development  of  the  comprehensive  plan  may  be  noted 
in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  in  the  work  and  letters 
of  Paul  especially.  The  glory  of  thy  people  Israel. 
Not  even  yet  acknowledged  so  by  them  as  a  people ;  yet 
the  whole  world  owes  and  will  owe  the  Jews  eternal  grat- 


52  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [n.  32. 

itude  as  the  bearers,  in  God's  providence,  01  salvation 
to  the  world,  "  Salvation  is  of  the  Jews."  The  Sun  of 
Righteousness  shone  over  the  world  from  Israel's  sky  ! 
To  Israel  we  go  to  find  the  Way,  the  Truth,  the  Life  ! 
The  late  Prime  Minister  of  England,  DiSRAELI,  a  Jew, 
says,  "  The  pupil  of  Moses  may  ask  himself  whether  all 
the  princes  of  the  house  of  David  have  done  so  much 
for  the  Jews  as  that  Prince  who  was  crucified  on  Calvary. 
Had  it  not  been  for  him,  the  Jews  would  have  been 
comparatively  unknown,  or  known  only  as  a  high 
Oriental  caste  which  had  lost  its  country.  Has  not  he 
made  their  history  the  most  famous  history  in  the  world? 
Has  he  not  hung  up  their  laws  in  every  temple  ?  Has 
not  he  avenged  the  victims  of  Titus,  and  conquered  the 
Caesars  ?  What  successes  did  they  anticipate  from  their 
Messiah  ?  The  wildest  dreams  of  their  Rabbis  have  been 
far  exceeded.  Has  not  Jesus  conquered  Europe,  and 
changed  its  name  into  Christendom  ?  All  countries  that 
refuse  the  cross  wither,  while  the  whole  of  the  new  world 
is  devoted  to  the  Semitic  principle  and  its  most  glorious 
offspring,  the  Jewish  faith." 

The  three  songs  we  have  in  the  opening  of  Luke,  par- 
taking so  much  of  the  poetical  character  of  much  of  the 
Old  Testament,  form  a  beautiful  connecting  link  between 
the  two  "  Testaments." 

As  one  was  called  the  Magnificat,  and  the  second  the 
Bcncdictus,  so  this  is  called  the  Nunc  Diniittis,  from  the 
words  with  which  it  begins  in  the  Latin  version. 

"  The  sweetest  canticle  is  '  Nunc  dimittis,'  when  a  man 
hath  obtained  worthy  ends  and  expectations ''  (Lord 
Bacon). 


33.     And  his  father  and  his  mother  were  marvelling  at  the  things  which 
were  spoken  concerning  him ; 


II.  :i2,  34.]  CHAPTER  IT.  53 

33.  Notwithstanding  all  that  had  occurred,  the  annun- 
ciation,  the  visit  to  Elisabeth,  and  the  three  months'  con- 
ference of  the  cousins,  each  confirming-  the  other's  faith, 
and  the  visit  of  the  shepherds  with  their  account  of  the 
angels  Song  of  the  Nativity,  we  see  his  father  and  his 
mother  still  marvelling  (wondering)  at  the  things  which 
were  spoken  concerning  him.  Jesus  was  the  Wonderful, 
even  to  His  mother. 

34.  And  Simeon  blessed  them,  and  said  unto  Mary  his  mother,  Behold, 
this  child  IS  set  for  the  falling  and  rising  up  of  many  in  Israel;  and  for  a 
sign  which  is  spoken  against ; 

34.  And  Simeon,  whom  now  they  recognized  as 
evidently  a  prophet,  speaking  by  the  Holy  Ghost — for 
how  else  would  he  have  known  anything  about  this  child, 
now  for  the  first  time  brought  from  the  obscure  place  of 
His  birth,  or  be  able  to  say  such  extraordinary  things 
about  Him  ? — blessed  them,  but  specially  addressed  the 
mother,  saying,  This  child  is  set,  appointed,  destined,  for 
the  falling  and  rising  up  of  many  in  Israel.  The  terms 
here  used  seem  to  refer  to  two  classes  and  two  results, 
rather  than  to  one,  as  the  Revised  Version  shows  in  con- 
trast  with  the  "  Authorized."  According  to  Is.  viii.  14, 
15,  He  would  be  not  only  "  for  a  sanctuary,"  but  "  for  a 
stone  of  stumbling."  (Comp.  Rom.  ix.  32,  33  ;  i  Peter 
ii.  7,  8.)  Moreover,  as  many  in  Israel  have  stumbled  and 
fallen,  so  there  is  reason  to  hope  there  will  one  day  be  a 
rising  in  Israel  and  return  to  the  rejected  Saviour. 
And  for  a  sign  spoken  against.  A  sign  was  intended  to 
clear  up  doubt :  but  Jesus  was  to  be  a  sign  spoken  against . 
Until  now  this  prophecy  has  been  fulfilling;  what  "  con- 
tradiction of  sinners  against  himself  "  (Heb.  xii.  3)  Jesus 
and  His  cause  have  endured  and  are  still  enduring  ! 

35.  Yea  and  a  sword  shall  pierce  through  thine  own  soul ;  that  thoughts 
out  of  many  hearts  may  be  revealed. 


54  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [ii.  35. 

35.  GODET  says,  "  A  carnal  satisfaction,  full  of  delusive 
hopes,  might  easily  have  taken  possession  of  the  hearts 
of  these  parents,  especially  of  the  mother's,  on  hearing 
such  words  as  these.  But  Simeon  infuses  into  his  mes- 
sage the  drop  of  bitterness  which  no  joy,  not  even  holy 
joy,  ever  wants  in  a  world  of  sin."  Yea,  and  a  sword 
shall  pierce  through  thy  own  soul.  She  shall  be  a  par- 
taker of  the  sorrows  of  her  son.  Some  think  this  refers  to 
conflicts  of  unbelief  in  her  own  soul  ;  others  to  sorrow 
for  sin,  which  she,  along  with  all  believers,  will  ex- 
perience ;  but  we  think  it  refers  to  all  her  womanly  feel- 
ings as  tried  by  the  experience  Jesus  will  meet  in  the 
world,  ending  with  His  crucifixion  and  death.  Mary  has 
well  been  called  Mater  Dolorosa.  That  thoughts  out  of 
many  hearts  may  be  revealed.  Christ  is  the  touchstone 
of  hearts,  the  test  of  characters.  "  What  think  ye  of 
Christ  ?  "  is  the  great  test  question  for  all  who  have 
heard  of  Him  :  and  death  is  a  departing  in  peace,  to  who- 
ever has  seen  and  accepted  Him. 

The  thoughts  of  ambitious  Pharisees  were  revealed  in 
scornful  enmity  ;  the  thoughts  of  sinful  publicans  and 
harlots  were  revealed  in  penitent  faith  ;  the  thoughts  of 
the  Centurion  were  revealed  when  he  said,  in  view  of  the 
testimony  before  him,  "  Truly  this  was  the  Son  of  God  !  " 
The  thoughts  of  thousands  were  revealed  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost,  when,  in  view  of  the  crucified,  risen,  exalted. 
Spirit-giving  Jesus,  they  cried  out,  "  Men  and  brethren, 
what  must  we  do  ?  "  And  so,  throughout  the  world,  the 
doctrine  of  Christ  is  the  searcher  and  revealer  of  hearts. 


36-3S.  And  there  was  one  Anna,  a  prophetess,  the  daughter  of  Phanuel, 
of  the  tribe  of  Asher  (she  was  of  a  great  age,  having  lived  with  a  husband 
seven  years  from  her  virginity,  and  she  had  been  a  widow  even  for  fourscore 
and  four  years),  which  departed  not  from  the  temple,  worshipping  with 
fastings  and  supplications  night  and  day.     And  coming  up  at  that  very 


II.  36-38.]  CHAPTER  II.  55 

hour  she  gave  thanks  unto  God,  and  spake  of  him  to  all  them  that  were 
looking  for  the  redemption  of  Jerusalem. 

36,  37,  38.  Anna,  or  Hannah,  was  one  well  known  in 
those  days.  prophetess,  a  woman   gifted  with  apoca- 

lyptic discourse.  (See  ver.  38.)  Far  advanced  in  years  ; 
she  had  lived  a  married  life  of  only  seven  years,  and 
since  then,  up  to  fourscore  and  four  years,  she  had  lived 
a  widow  indeed,  such  as  Paul  refers  to  in  i  Tim.  v.  5- 
The  Revised  Version  seems  to  think  she  had  been  a 
widow  eighty-four  years,  which  may  have  been  so,  but  is 
not  likely,  and  the  original  allows  either  view.  When  it 
is  said  she  departed  not  from  the  temple  and  continued 
her  religious  acts  night  and  day,  we  take  this  to  be  a 
popular  way  of  expressing  the  constancy  of  her  religious 
hfe  and  fervor.  Notwithstanding  her  great  age,  she  was 
always  at  the  religious  services  and  spent  much  of  the 
intervening  time  in  the  temple  precincts.  Edersheim 
says,  "  Nor,  as  to  the  Pharisees  around,  was  it  the  Syna- 
gogue which  was  her  constant  and  loved  resort ;  but  the 
Temple,  with  its  symbolic  and  unspoken  worship,  which 
Rabbinic  self-assertion  and  rationalism  were  rapidly 
superseding,  and  for  whose  services,  indeed,  Rabbinism 
could  find  no  real  basis." 

Coming  up  that  very  hour,  this  well-known,  godly 
woman,  responded  to  Simeon's  words  concerning  this  child, 
and  first  gave  thanks  unto  God  in  response  to  His  good- 
ness and  faithfulness,  and  then  spake  of  him,  that  little 
child  Jesus,  to  all  them  that  were  looking  for  the  redemp- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  i.  e.  of  Israel.  (See  vers.  25,  32,  and 
i.  68.)  The  verbs  "  gave  thanks  "  and  "  spake  "  are  in  the 
imperfect  tense,  from  which  we  gather  that  Anna  con- 
tinued this  sort  of  discourse  among  her  pious  companions. 
Ambrose  comprehensively  and  suggestively  says, 
"  Christ  received  a  witness  at   his  birth,   not   only  from 


56  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [11.38-40. 

prophets  and  shepherds,  but  also  from  aged  and  holy 
men  and  women.  Every  age,  and  both  sexes,  and  the 
marvels  of  events,  confirm  our  faith.  A  virgin  brings 
forth,  the  barren  becomes  a  mother,  the  dumb  speaks, 
Elisabeth  prophesies,  the  wise  men  adore,  the  babe  leaps 
in  the  womb,  the  widow  praises  God.  .  .  .  Simeon  proph- 
esied ;  she  who  was  wedded  prophesied  ;  she  who  was  a 
virgin  prophesied  ;  and  now  a  widow  prophesies,  that  all 
states  of  life  and  sexes  might  be  there." 

39.  And  when  they  had  accomplished  all  things  that  were  according  to 
the  law  of  the  Lord,  they  returned  into  Galilee,  to  their  own  city  Nazareth. 

39.  If  we  had  only  this  gospel  history  we  would  think 
this  return  to  their  own  city  Nazareth  took  place  di- 
rectly after  Mary's  offering  and  the  presentation  of  Jesus. 
But  Matthew's  account  gives  the  interesting  events  of 
the  visit  of  the  Magi,  the  slaughter  of  the  little  boys  of 
Bethlehem,  and  the  flight  of  the  holy  family  into  Egypt 
— none  of  which  Luke  mentions,  and  all  of  which  we 
suppose  occurred  between  the  all  things  of  this  verse 
and  the  return  to  Nazareth.  Neither  does  any  one  of 
the  Evangelists,  nor  do  all  of  them  together,  give  every- 
thing in  the  life  of  Jesus. 

40.  And  the  child  grew,  and  waxed  strong,  filled  with  wisdom  :  and  the 
grace  of  God  was  upon  him. 

40.  The  verbs  here  are  in  the  imperfect  tense,  denoting 
continuance.  The  child  developed  healthily  and  strongly. 
This  was  in  accordance  with,  and  in  illustration  of,  His 
perfect  human  nature.  Comp.  i  Sam.  ii.  26;  Luke  i.  80; 
and  ii.  52,  where  Jesus'  human  progress  between  His 
twelfth  and  thirtieth  years  is  similarly  noted.  Filled  is 
the  present  participle.  See  marginal  rendering.  With 
wisdom  of  all  sorts.     He  learned  in  His  pious  mother's 


11.  40-4I]  CHAPTER  II.  57 

lap  and  at  her  knee  ;  He  learned  from  the  righteous 
Joseph  who  by  Jewish  law  was  bound  to  teach  Him 
(comp.  Eph.  vi.  4) ;  He  learned  from  the  private  and 
united  prayers  in  the  family  and  from  the  domestic  rites 
of  the  weekly  Sabbath  and  of  the  festive  seasons  ;  He 
learned  from  the  Synagogue ;  He  learned  from  inter- 
course with  men,  by  observation  and  experience  ;  He 
learned  at  school — for  in  all  probability  there  was,  as  in 
late  days  was  required  in  every  town,  a  school  at  Naza- 
reth. Whether  at  home  or  at  school  the  chief  text-book 
was  the  Bible — in  which,  in  His  subsequent  ministry, 
Jesus  showed  Himself  fully  versed.  If  Timothy  from 
a  child  knew  the  Holy  Scriptures  (2  Tim.  iii.  15),  much 
more  did  Jesus.  And  the  grace  of  God,  the  divine  favor, 
was  upon  him.  Then  the  grace  of  God  can  be  upon 
even  a  little  child,  even  upon  your  child. 

41.  And  his  parents  went  every  year  to  Jerusalem  at  the  feast  of  the 
passover. 

41.  His  parents,  as  devout  people,  of  godly  character, 
went  to  Jerusalem,  a  long  distance  of  about  seventy 
miles  direct,  and  considerably  more  by  the  usual  routes, 
every  year,  regularly,  at  the  feast  of  the  passover,  one 

of  the  three  chief  festivals  of  the  Jews,  instituted  at  the 
Exodus  from  Egypt  in  commemoration  of  the  passing 
over  by  the  angel  of  death  of  the  houses  of  the  Israelites 
whose  doorposts  were  sprinkled  with  blood  (Exod.  xii.). 
This  festival  was  also  called  "  The  Feast  of  Unleavened 
Bread ;  "  it  lasted  a  week  ;  our  Easter  takes  the  place 
and  time  of  it.  At  this  and  the  festivals  of  Pentecost 
and  Tabernacles,  all  the  males  of  Israel  were  required  to 
be  present  (Exod.  xxiii.  14-17);  this  obligation  did  not 
rest  on  the  females,  nor  was  it  their  general  custom  to 


58  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [ii.  41-43. 

go.  That  Mary  went  each  year  with  Joseph  is  an  indica- 
tion of  her  religious  character. 

42.  And  when  he  was  twelve  years  old,  they  went  up  after  the  custom 
of  the  feast. 

42.  When  he  (Jesus)  was  twelve  years  old   He  had 

arrived  at  that  period  when  He  became  a  "  son  of  the 
law,"  passing  out  of  the  years  of  childhood,  and  was 
allowed  to  take  part  in  the  celebration  of  the  festival. 
Accordingly  this  time  Jesus  went  up  with  them  to  Jeru- 
salem. 

43,  44.  And  when  they  had  fulfilled  the  days,  as  they  were  returning,  the 
boy  Jesus  tarried  behind  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  his  parents  knew  it  not ;  but 
supposing  him  to  be  in  the  company,  they  went  a  day's  journey;  and  they 
sought  for  him  among  their  kinsfolk  and  acquaintance, 

43.  And  when  they  had  fulfilled  the  days,  from  the 
14th  to  the  2ist  of  Nisan  (April  8-15,  that  year),  they 
started  on  the  return  to  Nazareth.  How  it  happened 
that  the  boy  Jesus  tarried   behind   in  Jerusalem  we  are 

not  told ;  simply  the  fact  is  given.  We  can  imagine 
some  of  the  circumstances.  Most  likely  Jesus  had  been 
thoroughly  taken  up  with  the  religious  exercises  of  the 
week,  and  been  a  wrapt  listener  to  the  instructions  of 
the  teachers  of  the  law.  D.  Brown  says:  "As  a  devout 
child  in  company  with  his  parents,  he  would  go  through 
the  services,  keeping  his  thoughts  to  himself ;  but  me- 
thinks  I  hear  him,  after  the  sublime  services  of  that  feast, 
saying  to  himself,  '  He  brought  me  to  the  banqueting 
house,  and  his  banner  over  me  was  love.  I  sat  down 
under  his  shadow  with  great  delight,  and  his  fruit  was 
sweet  to  my  taste '  "  (Song,  ii.  3,  4).  We  may  suppose, 
then,  that  He  was  so  engrossed  as  not  to  think  of  any- 
thing else.  The  return.  His  mother  and  Joseph,  entered 
not  into  His  mind,  only  the  things  of  God  and  Himself, 
as  His  personal  consciousness  of  His  being  and  mission 


ir.  43»  44]  CHAPTER  IT. 


59 


now  rose  within  Him  as  never  before.  As,  long  after,  at 
the  well,  human  hunger  and  thirst  were  forgotten  in  that 
meat  and  drink  which  was  to  do  the  will  of  Him  that 
sent  Him  and  to  finish  His  work  (John  iv.  31-34),  so 
now  the  lad  was  absorbed  in  things  more  than  human  ; 
and,  naturally  to  Him,  He  thus  tarried  in  Jerusalem, 
with  never  a  thought  of  any  impropriety  toward  His 
mother.  Equally  naturally  on  their  part,  his  parents 
knew  not  of  His  thus  remaining.  Everybody  was  going 
home  again;  companies  of  neighbors,  kinsmen  and  ac- 
quaintance were  forming  and  setting  off  together,  the 
roads  out  of  the  city  getting  thronged  with  the  returning 
multitudes.  Jesus  had  never  occasioned  His  parents  the 
least  trouble;  He  was  entirely  trustworthy  and  had  their 
perfect  confidence,  as  well  as  loving  admiration,  and  was 
able  now  to  look  after  Himself  in  a  great  degree. 

44.  Therefore,  supposing  him  to  be  in  the  company 
moving  out  toward  Galilee,  somewhere  among  the  boys 
or  men,  taking  His  coming  along  for  granted,  they  went 
a  day's  journey.  The  first  day's  journey  of  such  a  tour, 
we  are  told,  was  usually  a  short  one,  so  that  anything 
forgotten  or  left  might  be  gone  after  and  recovered  in 
time  to  catch  up  with  the  company  again  the  next  day. 
Tradition  points  to  a  place  only  eight  or  ten  miles  north 
of  Jerusalem,  a  three  hours'  journey,  as  the  very  place  of 
this  first  halt.  Other  circumstances  lead  to  the  belief 
that  the  distance  was  nothing  like  the  regular  day's 
journey  of  eighteen  to  thirty  miles.  Wherever  it  was, 
the  parents  now  went  to  look  for  this  boy,  seeking  Him 
among  their  kinsfolk  and  acquaintance  in  the  company. 

45,  46.  And  when  they  found  him  not,  they  returned  to  Jerusalem, 
seeking  for  him.  And  it  came  to  pass,  after  three  days  they  found  him 
in  the  temple,  sitting  in  the  midst  of  the  doctors,  both  hearing  them,  and 
asking  them  questions  : 


6o  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [11.45-47. 

45.  At  first  they  felt  no  apprehension,  they  were  sure 
He  was  somewhere  there,  they  could  reckon  on  such  a 
faithful  boy;  but  after  a  complete  search  they  found 
him  not.  Parents  only  can  realize  their  feelings,  particu- 
larly Mary's,  now.  They  returned  to  Jerusalem  forth- 
with, seeking  for  him,  thinking  they  would  find  Him  yet 
somewhere  along  the  road.  But  fainter  and  fainter  grew 
their  hearts,  as  they  were  a  long  time  disappointed  in 
their  hopes.  A  lost  child  !  And  such  a  crowd,  and  so 
great  a  city  !  Once  in  the  city  they  probably  looked  for 
Him  where  they  had  lodged  during  the  festival,  and  in- 
quired of  acquaintances  in  the  city,  and  perhaps  of  the 
authorities. 

46.  After  three  days,  that  is,  according  to  Jewish  reck- 
oning, on  the  third  day  after  missing  Him,  they  found 
him  where,  perhaps,  they  should  have  looked  for  Him 
sooner,  in  the  temple,  that  is,  in  some  one  of  the  enclos- 
ures of  the  temple  court,  where  the  law  was  wont  to  be 
taught,  sitting  in  the  midst  of  the  doctors,  that  is,  the 
teachers  of  the  law,  the  Rabbis,  both  hearing  them, 
listening  to  what  they  said,  and  asking  them  questions. 
Sitting  was  the  posture  of  both  teacher  and  scholar ; 
asking  and  answering  questions,  the  method  of  instruc- 
tion, a  catechetical  Bible  class,  the  right  way  of  teaching 
and  learning. 

47.  And  all  that  heard  him  were  amazed  at  his  understanding  and  his 
answers. 

47.  And  all  that  heard  him,  whether  teachers  or 
pupils,  were  amazed  at  his  understanding  of  the  Scrip- 
tures and  divine  things.  His  intelligence,  manifested  in 
His  answers  as  also  in  His  questions.  (See  on  ver.  40.) 
So  much  so  that  they  appear  to  have  so  gathered  about 
Him  as  to  have  Him  "  in  the  midst  "  (ver.  46).     There 


II.  47-49-]  CHAPTER  IT.  6i 

were  some  celebrated  teachers  at  that  time,  among  them 
Hillel,  Simeon  and  Gamaliel.  There  is  nothing  in  this 
narrative  to  justify  any  idea  of  Jesus'  disputing  zvith  the 
teachers  of  the  day.  He  appears  in  the  simplicity  of  a 
young  learner,  who,  withal,  shows  Himself  wiser  than  all 
His  teachers. 

48.  And  when  they  saw  him,  they  were  astonished  :  and  his  mother 
said  unto  him,  Son,  why  hast  thou  thus  dealt  with  us  ?  behold,  thy  father 
and  I  sought  thee  sorrowing. 

48.  It  was  an  astonished  gathering  all  around.  When 
His  parents  saw  him  there  and  thus  engaged,  they  were 
astonished  (the  word  is  a  strong  one),  dazed  at  the  sight ; 
their  meek,  gentle,  hitherto  reticent  boy,  in  such  a  pres- 
ence, and  manifestly  so  engaging  their  attention.  Natu- 
rally, it  was  his  mother  that  drew  near  and  spoke  to 
him.  Son,  why  hast  thou  thus  dealt  with  us  ?  There 
is  a  mild  reproof  in  her  words — perhaps  the  first 
time  she  had  ever  thought  it  necessary.  Thy  father 
(Joseph)  and  I.  This  method  of  referring  to  her  husband 
indicates  that  the  mystery  of  Jesus'  coming  into  the 
world  had  not  been  spoken  of  to  Him  by  His  mother, 
who  wisely  left  to  God  who  had  told  her  what  should  be, 
to  bring  to  Jesus'  knowledge  and  consciousness  what  had 
been.  Sought  (were  seeking)  thee,  sorrowing,  with 
burdened  hearts. 

49.  And  he  said  unto  them,  How  is  it  that  ye  sought  me  ?  wist  ye  not 
that  I  must  be  in  my  Father's  house  ? 

49.  And  he  said  unto  them.  What  He  said  to  them 
are  the  first  recorded  words  of  Jesus,  and  they  are,  there- 
fore, attended  with  special  interest.  How  is  it  that  ye 
sought  (were  seeking)  me  ?  Ye  might  have  found  me 
here  at  first.  Wist  (knew)  ye  not  who  I  am  and  where 
to  find   me,  that  I  must  be  in  my  father's  house,    the 


62  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [11.49-51. 

things  of  my  Father  (^v  ruiq  tuu  Tzarpo^  fiou)  which  now 
have  their  centre  here  in  the  temple,  my  Father's 
house  ?  Mary  had  said,  "  Thy  father,"  referring  to 
Joseph;  the  boy  shows  He  knows  His  true  origin,  and 
reminds  them,  with  some  gentle  reproof,  that  they  on^/it 
to  knoiv  and  reflect  on  the  same !  The  annunciation,  the 
words  of  Elisabeth,  of  Zacharias,  and  of  the  aged  Simeon, 
the  visit  of  the  shepherds  and  the  Magi,  the  flight  into 
Egypt,  with  its  occasion — had  they  forgotten  all  these  ? 
No  doubt,  twelve  uneventful  years  had  served  to  dull  the 
impression  of  these  things  upon  their  memory.  His 
words  remind  them  that  He  is  not  only  "  Jesus,"  but  also 
"  the  Son  of  the  Most  High,"  "  the  Son  of  God  "  (Luke  i. 
32,  35  ;  Matt.  i.  20).  These  first  words  are  an  epitome  of 
our  Lord's  whole  life.  The  consciousness  of  His  origin 
and  destiny  was  breaking  forth  within  Him. 

50.  And  they  understood  not  the  saying  which  he  spake  unto  them. 

50.  His  understanding  and  answers  outwitted  not  only 
all  that  famous  Bible  class  in  the  temple,  but  now  His 
"  parents  "  also  ;  and  they  understood  not  His  compre- 
hensive reply  :  there  was  more  in  it  than  they  could  un- 
ravel,  closely  as  they  were  related  to  Him  according  to 
the  flesh  !  No  relationship  to  Jesus  "  according  to  the 
flesh"  can  make  us  understand  His  words.  (See  2  Cor. 
V.  16.)     They  must  be  spiritually  discerned. 

51.  And  he  went  down  with  them,  and  came  to  Nazareth  ;  and  he  was 
subject  unto  them  ;  and  his  mother  kept  all  these  sayings  in  her  heart. 

51.  Still,  notwithstanding  the  divine  consciousness  that 
was  breaking  forth  within  Him,  he  went  down  with 
them,  literally  and  figuratively,  and  came  to  Nazareth, 
obscure  and  despised  place,  and  was  subject  unto  them, 

as  though  He  were  but  their  natural  son — yes,  with  a 


11.  51]  CHAPTER  II.  63 

submission  that  was  without  a  fault ;  and  His  example 
to  His  brothers  and  sisters,  and  the  families  of  the  place, 
and  to  us,  is  a  beautiful  and  perfect  one.  Through  all 
the  ordinary  experiences  of  this  mortal  life  Jesus  passed, 
that  He  might  be  "  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our 
infirmities,"  having  been  made  "  in  all  points  like  unto 
His  brethren."  How  His  boyhood  and  youth  ennobles 
and  sanctifies  filial  love  and  obedience  !  Says  Stier  : 
"  The  mystery  folds  itself  up  again  in  the  self-denial  of 
eighteen  years,  till  the  time  when,  on  the  open  assumption 
of  His  Messiahship,  the  mother  has  become  '  Woman,' 
having  no  longer  any  authority,  and  His  '  My  Father' 
publicly  resounds  in  His  house  and  before  His  people,  no 
more  to  cease  till  that  last  word,  which  coincides  with 
this  first — '  Father,  into  thine  hands  ! '  " 

It  was  a  universal  custom  among  the  Jews  that  every 
boy  must  learn  a  trade ;  and  we  have  no  doubt  that 
Jesus  learned  and  worked  in  Joseph's  carpenter  shop  at 
Nazareth.  Afterwards  they  called  Him  "the  carpenter" 
(Mark  vi.  3).  Think  of  Him  who  built  all  things  (Heb.  iii. 
4),  the  great  Architect  of  the  universe,  working  with 
boards,  benches  and  tools,  in  Joseph's  carpenter  shop  at 
Nazareth  !  Surely  He  "  made  himself  of  no  reputation  " 
(Phil.  ii.  7)  ;  yet  how  He  ennobled  labor  !  As  there  is 
no  mention  of  Joseph  after  this,  it  is  supposed  he  died 
before  Jesus'  public  ministry  began.  And  his  mother 
kept  all  these  sayings  in  her  heart.  "  Observe,"  says 
Dr.  Bushnell,  "  that  she  did  not  keep  them  in  her 
memory,  or  her  understanding,  or  her  diary,  but  in  her 
heart — that  well  of  silence  in  the  bosom  of  true  mother- 
hood, where  all  freshest,  purest  waters  are  kept  fresh  and 
pure.  Infiltered  there  and  stored  by  living  thought,  they 
were  not  vaporized  and  shallowed  by  much  talk.  Her 
family  story  she  cannot  carry  into  the  street,  or  even 


64  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [11.51,52. 

speak  of  with  her  friends  ;  and  things  are  occurring  with 
Jesus  every  day,  in  which  the  stamps  and  signatures  of 
His  divinity  are  distinctly  and  even  visibly  manifested, 
but  which  cannot  be  advertised  without  becoming  tokens 
of  weakness  in  the  mother  and  precocity  in  the  child. 
She  sometimes  wants  to  even  strike  a  song  of  triumph, 
like  Miriam  coming  up  out  of  the  sea,  but  her  loudest, 
only  not  absurd,  song  will  be  silence,  a  hymn  that  she 
keeps  hid  in  her  heart,  as  she  does  all  the  sayings  and 
great  acts  of  her  wonderful  Son." 

52.     And  Jesus  advanced  in  wisdom  and  stature,  and  in  favour  with  God 
and  men. 

52.  See  on  ver.  40.  Here  is  development  internally 
and  externally.  The  God-man  developed  infvaourwith 
God  and  men.  "  This  perfectly  normal  human  being," 
says  GODET,  "  was  the  beginning  of  a  reconciliation  be- 
tween heaven  and  earth."  Of  the  eighteen  subsequent 
years,  Alford  says,  "  We  are  apt  to  forget  that  it 
was  during  this  time  that  miicJi  of  this  great  tvork  of  the 
second  Adam  was  done.  The  growing  up  through  in- 
fancy, childhood,  youth,  manhood,  from  grace  to  grace, 
holiness  to  holiness,  in  subjection,  self-denial,  and  love, 
witliout  one  polluting  toucJi  of  sin — this  it  was  which,  con- 
summated by  the  three  years  of  active  ministry,  by  the 
Passion,  and  by  the  Cross,  constituted  '  tJie  obedience  of 
one  man  '  by  which  many  were  made  righteous.  We 
must  fully  appreciate  the  words  of  this  verse  in  order  to 
think  rightly  of  Christ.  He  had  emptied  Himself  of  His 
glory:  His  infancy  and  childhood  were  no  mere  pretence, 
but  the  Divine  Personality  was  in  Him  carried  through 
three  states  of  weakness  and  inexperience  of  the  sons  of 
men.  All  the  time  the  consciousness  of  His  mission  on 
earth  was  ripening  ;  *  the  things  heard  of  the   Father  ' 


II.  52.]  CHAPTER  II.  65 

(John  XV.  15)  were  continually  imparted  to  Him;  the 
Spirit,  which  was  not  given  by  measure  to  Him,  was 
abiding  more  and  more  upon  Him  till  the  day  when  He 
was  fully  ripe  for  His  official  manifestation, — that  He 
might  be  offered  to  His  own,  to  receive  or  reject  Him, — 
and  then  the  Spirit  led  Him  up  to  commence  His  conflict 
with  the  enemy.  As  yet  He  was  in  favor  with  man  also; 
the  world  had  not  yet  begun  to  hate  Him." 


CHAPTER  III. 

I,  2.  Now  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  Tiberius  Caesar,  Pontius 
Pilate  being  governor  of  Judasa,  and  Herod  being  tetrarch  of  Galilee,  and 
his  brother  Philip  tetrarch  of  the  region  of  Ituraea  and  Trachonitis,  and 
Lysanias  tetrarch  of  Abilene,  in  the  high-priesthood  of  Annas  and  Caia- 
phas,  the  word  of  God  came  unto  John  the  son  of  Zacharias  in  the  wilder- 
ness. 

I,  2.  Now.  Luke  is  now  ready  to  take  up  what  Mark 
(i.  i)  calls  "  The  beginning  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God,"  viz.  Jesus'  ministry.  In  accordance 
with  his  purpose  expressed  in  i.  3  to  "  write  in  order," 
and  according  to  his  habit  of  carefully  marking  the  times, 
our  author  here  gives  us  six  chronological  data,  (i)  The 
fifteenth  year  of  Tiberius  Caesar.  Tiberius,  the  second 
Roman  Emperor,  was  associated  on  the  throne  with 
Augustus  two  years  before  the  death  of  the  latter,  which 
occurred  August  19,  A.  U.  C.  767,  i.  e.  A.  D.  14.  Reckon- 
ing from  this  co-regency,  as  Edersheim,  following 
WiESELER,  thinks  provincials  would  do,  we  get  here 
the  date  779  A.  U.  C,  i.  e.  A.D.  26.  Taking  the  date  of 
Tiberius'  sole  rule  would  give  us  a  period  two  years  later. 
(2)  Pontius  Pilate  being  governor  of  Judaea.  Pilate  was 
procurator  of  Judaea,  then  a  Roman  province,  from  779, 
probably  about  Easter,  A.  D.  26,  to  789,  when  he  was  re- 
called. (3)  Herod  being  tetrarch  of  Galilee.  This  was 
Antipas,  who  succeeded  to  this  part  of  his  father's  gov- 
ernment at  the  latter's  death  in  750  and  continued  till 
his   deposition    in    792.     His   rule    extended    also    over 

66 


III.  I,  2.]  CHAPTER  III.  67 

Peraea.  (4)  His  brother  Philjp  tetrarch  of  the  region 
of  [turasa  and  Trachonitis.  This  was  not  the  Phihp 
mentioned  in  Mark  vi.  17,  but  the  son  of  a  different 
mother,  Cleopatra,  and  sometimes  designated  as  Phihp 
II.  Ituraea  was  the  northeastern  province  of  Palestine, 
along  the  base  of  Mount  Hermon  ;  Trachonitis  adjoined 
it,  on  the  East.  Batansea  and  Auranitis  belonged  to 
this  region.  Philip  was  made  tetrarch  here  in  750  and 
ruled  till  his  death  in  786  or  787.  (5)  Lysanias  tetrarch 
of  Abilene.  There  were  two  rulers  of  this  name  and 
they  are  sometimes  confounded.  The  elder  Lysanias 
was  put  to  death  by  Mark  Antony  in  718  (B.  C.  36)  ; 
there  was  a  later  ruler  of  this  name,  as  is  shown  from 
Josephus  and  an  inscription  at  Abila.  The  place  of  his 
rule  was  in  the  region  of  the  Lebanon,  eighteen  miles 
north  of  Damascus. 

(6)  In  the  high=priesthood  of  Annas  and  Caiaphas. 
The  Roman  authorities  were  absolute  and  even  assumed 
the  appointment  of  Jewish  high  priests.  Annas  had 
been  appointed  by  Quirinius,  the  first  Procurator  of 
Judaea.  (See  on  ii.  2.)  After  nine  years  he  was  deposed 
and  the  occupancy  of  the  office  changed  four  times,  the 
fourth  incumbent  being  Annas'  son-in-law  Caiaphas. 
'*  But  Annas  retained  withal  very  weighty  influence 
(John  xviii.  12  ff.),  so  that  not  only  did  he,  as  did  every 
one  who  had  been  apyjEpsvq^  continue  to  be  called  by  the 
name,  but,  moreover,  he  also  partially  diseharged  the 
functions  of  high  priest  "  (Meyer).  "  But  although  the 
expression  'High  Priest'  appears  sometimes  to  have 
been  used  in  a  general  sense,  as  designating  the  sons  of 
the  High  Priests,  and  even  the  principal  members  of 
their  families,  there  could,  of  course,  be  only  one  actual 
High  Priest.  The  conjunction  of  the  two  names  of 
Annas  and  Caiaphas  probably  indicates  that,   although 


68  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [in.  i,  2. 

Annas  was  deprived  of  the  Pontificate,  he  still  continued 
to  preside  over  the  Sanhedrin — a  conclusion  not  only 
borne  out  by  Acts  iv.  6,  where  Annas  appears  as  the 
actual  President,  and  by  the  terms  in  which  Caiaphas  is 
spoken  of  as  merely  '  one  of  them,'  but  by  the  part 
which  Annas  took  in  the  final  condemnation  of  Jesus  " 
(Edersheim).  The  author  just  quoted,  remarking  on  a 
higher  purpose  than  mere  exactness  of  chronology  had 
in  view  by  Luke  in  adducing  these  six  chronological 
data,  says  :  "  P'or,  they  indicate,  more  clearly  than  the 
most  elaborate  discussion,  the  fitness  of  the  moment  for 
the  Advent  of  the  '  Kingdom  of  Heaven.'  For  the  first 
time  since  the  Babylonish  Captivity,  the  foreigner,  the 
Chief  of  the  hated  Roman  Empire — according  to  the 
Rabbis  the  fourth  beast  of  Daniel's  vision — was  absolute 
and  undisputed  Master  of  Judaea;  and  the  chief  relig- 
ious office  divided  between  two,  equally  unworthy  of  its 
functions.  And  it  deserves,  at  least,  notice  that,  of  the 
Rulers  mentioned  by  St.  Luke,  Pilate  entered  on  his  office 
only  shortly  before  the  public  appearance  of  John,  and 
that  they  all  continued  till  after  the  Crucifixion  of  Christ. 
There  was  thus,  so  to  speak,  a  continuity  of  these  powers 
during  the  whole  Messianic  period." 

John  was  not  forgotten  in  the  wilderness,  where  i.  8o 
left  him,  but,  now  that  "  the  day  of  his  shewing  unto 
Israel "  had  come,  a  word  of  God  came  unto  him,  sum- 
moning him  to  his  work.  How  it  came  we  are  not  told  ; 
but  John  i.  23,  33  shows  that  he  recognized  his  mission  ; 
"  he  that  sent  me  to  baptize,"  he  says,  and  disclaims  any- 
thing as  coming  from  himself. 

3,  4.  And  he  came  into  all  the  region  round  about  Jordan,  preaching  the 
baptism  of  repentance  unto  remission  of  sins  ;  as  it  is  written  in  the  book 
of  the  words  of  Isaiah  the  prophet, 

The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness, 


in.  3-5.]  CHAPTER  III.  69 

Make  ye  ready  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
Make  his  paths  straight. 

3,  4.  All  the  region  round  about  Jordan  denotes 
comprehensively  the  scene  of  John's  ministry.  (Comp. 
John  i.  28 ;  iii.  23.)  Unto  remission  of  sins.  This  was 
the  end  sought  by  John's  baptism  through  repentance 
leading  to  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  whom  John  heralded  as 
"  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world"  (John  i.  29,  36).  Apart  from  faith  in  the  Coming 
One  there  would  not  be  any  forgiveness  of  sins.  (See 
Acts  xix.  4  and  context,  and  on  Matt.  iii.  2  ff.  in  Vol.  I 
of  this  Commentary.)  Repentance  is  not  a  something 
done  once  for  all ;  but  our  Christian  baptism  "  signifies 
that  the  old  Adam,  with  all  sinful  lusts  and  affections, 
should  be  drowned  and  destroyed  by  daily  sorrow  and 
repentance  ;  and  that  a  new  man  should  daily  arise,  that 
shall  dwell  in  the  presence  of  God  in  righteousness  and 
purity  forever  "  (Luther's  Catechism).  As  it  is  written. 
The  New  Testament  Scriptures  record  the  fulfilment  of 
the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  prominent  among  which 
was  the  book  of  the  words  of  Isaiah  the  prophet,  in 
which  there  is  so  much  about  Jesus  Christ  and  His 
gospel  that  Isaiah  is  called  the  Evangelical  Prophet. 
(See  on  Matt.  iii.  1-6,  and  on  Mark  i.  1-8.) 

5,  6.  Every  valley  shall  be  filled, 

And  every  mountain  and  hill  shall  be  brought  low ; 

And  the  crooked  shall  become  straight, 

And  the  rough  ways  smooth ; 

And  all  flesh  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God. 

5,  6.  Luke  quotes  the  passage  from  Is.  xl.  3-5  more 
fully  than  Matthew  and  Mark  iu  loc,  following  the  Septua- 
gint  freely.  These  additional  verses  set  forth  the  diffi- 
culties to  be  encountered  and  overcome  by  the  gospel  of 
Christ.     Luke,  in  accordance  with  the  character  of  his 


70  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [in.  6-1 1. 

whole  narrative,  notes  that  all  flesh,  and  not  Israelites 
only,  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God.  The  LXX.  inter- 
pret "  the  glory  of  the  Lord  "  (Isaiah)  as  "  the  salvation 
of  God  " — which  is  correct,  since  the  whole  refers  to  the 
revelation  of  God  in  Jesus,  the  Saviour. 

7-9.  He  sa^  therefore  to  the  multitudes  that  went  out  to  be  baptized  of 
him,  Ye  offspring  of  vipers,  who  warned  you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to 
come  ?  Bring  forth  therefore  fruits  worthy  of  repentance,  and  begin  not  to 
say  within  yourselves,  We  have  Abraham  to  our  father:  fori  say  unto  you, 
that  God  is  able  of  these  stones  to  raise  up  children  unto  Abraham.  And 
even  now  is  the  axe  also  laid  unto  the  root  of  the  trees  :  every  tree  there- 
fore that  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the  fire. 

7-9.  See  on  Matt.  iii.  7-10. 

10.  And  the  multitudes  asked  him,  saying.  What  then  must  we  do? 

10.  The  general  question  asked  by  all  classes  was, 
What  then  must  we  do?  If  judgment  is  impending 
(vers.  7-9),  what  must  we  do  to  avert  it?  The  object  of 
preaching  is  action  on  the  part  of  the  hearer ;  and  when 
he  can  be  led  earnestly  to  ask  this  question,  the  way  is 
open  for  his  conversion.  (See  Acts  ii.  37 ;  xvi.  30 ; 
xxii.   10.) 

11.  And  he  answered  and  said  unto  them.  He  that  hath  two  coats,  let 
him  impart  to  him  that  hath  none  ;  and  he  that  hath  food,  let  him  do  hkewise. 

11.  Here  we  have  a  general  answer  to  the  question 
asked  by  the  multitudes.  It  is  a  rule  of  unselfish  love. 
He  that  hath  two  coats — two  tunics,  under-garments  ; 
and  two  of  these  would  be  but  a  poor  outfit — let  him, 
even  though  poor,  impart,  give,  to  him  that  hath  none, 
who  is  poorer  still.  So  with  food.  This  was  to  "  love 
mercy  "  (Micah  vi.  8),  which  was  everywhere  taught  in 
the  Old  Testament,  and  set  forth  as  a  divine  attribute. 
The  Old  Testament  and  the  herald  of  the  New  taught 
mercy,  and  renicnibrance  of  the  poor.     The  New  Testa- 


III.  11-14.]  CHAPTER  III.  71 

ment  emphasizes  this.     Everywhere,  in  precept  and  ex- 
ample, is  written  "  Give." 

12,  13.  And  there  came  also  publicans  to  be  baptized,  and  they  said  unto 
him,  Master,  what  must  we  do  ?  And  he  said  unto  them,  Extort  no  more 
than  that  which  is  appointed  you. 

12,  13.  To  the  publicans,  the  tax-gatherers,  hateful  to 
the  Jews  as  representing  the  foreign  power  (Roman)  to 
which  they  were  compelled  to  pay  tribute,  and  for  their 
notorious  exactions  for  their  individual  emolument,  he 
said.  Extort  no  more  than  that  which  is  appointed  you  ; 
go  by  your  list,  as  faithful  officials.  This  was  to  "  do 
justly  "  (Micah  vi.  8).  (Comp.  Zacchaeus'  words  in  chap, 
xix.  8.) 

14.  And  soldiers  also  asked  him,  saying,  And  we,  what  must  we  do  ? 
And  he  said  unto  them.  Do  violence  to  no  man,  neither  exact  anything 
wrongfully  ;  and  be  content  with  your  wages. 

14.  And  soldiers  also  came  with  the  same  question. 
Just  who  these  were  wc  cannot  affirm.  It  was  a  military 
age.  The  Romans  governed  by  the  sword.  Do  violence. 
The  word  signifies  to  take  a  man  by  the  collar  and  shake 
him.  This  the  soldiers,  from  the  nature  of  their  pro- 
fession, might  be  easily  provoked  to  do,  or  take  on  them- 
selves to  do  ;  but  John  says,  do  so  to  no  man.  This  evi- 
dently refers  to  their  personal  relations  to  men,  and  so  do 
the  other  prohibitions.  Neither  exact  wrongfully.  Do 
not  levy  blackmail,  seek  to  advance  yourselves  or  your 
wealth  by  falsehood.  And  be  content  with  your  wages, 
your  allowance  both  of  money  and  rations.  In  this  faith- 
ful contentment  there  is  also  something  of  the  "  walking 
humbly  with  thy  God  "  of  Micah  vi.  8. 

Observe  that  John  bade  none  of  his  inquirers  leave 
their  legitimate  business  ;  he  interfered  not  with  existing 
relations,  but  applied  the  principles  of  justice,  morality 


72  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [iii.  14,  15. 

and  love  to  the  circumstances  of  all  the  various  classes 
who  applied  to  him.  His  is  the  Old  Testament  answer, 
summed  up  by  Micah  (vi.  8)  seven  centuries  and  a  half 
before, — "  He  hath  shewed  thee,  O  man,  what  is  good  ; 
and  what  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee,  but  to  do  justly, 
and  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  with  thy  God  ?  " 
John's  work  was  preparatory.  Consequently  after 
Jesus'  worky<?r  man  was  finished  (Ps.  xxii,  41  ;  John  xix. 
30),  and  He  had  sent  the  Holy  Ghost  to  do  His  work  in 
man,  the  answer  to  the  sinner's  cry,  "  What  must  we 
do?  "was  more  full  and  clear.  (See  Acts  ii.  37-40  ;  iii. 
18;  xvi.  30,31.) 

15.     And  as  the  people  were  in  expectation,  and  all  men  reasoned  in  their 
hearts  concerning  John,  whether  haply  he  were  the  Christ ; 

15.  The  state  of  the  multitudes  at  this  time  was  one 
of  expectation.  There  are  evidences  of  this  more  widely 
extended  than  among  the  Jews,  in  the  writings  of  the 
heathen.  Moreover,  the  •'  seventy  weeks "  of  Daniel 
(Dan.  ix.  24)  were  now  completed,  after  which  "  the 
Messiah,  the  Prince,"  was  to  come.  Now,  here  was  John, 
with  the  spirit  and  power  of  an  Elijah,  in  the  garb  and 
mode  of  life  of  a  prophet,  accompanying  his  close  preach- 
ing with  the  ordinance  of  baptism  ;  and  all  men  reasoned 
in  their  hearts — questioned  the  matter  there — concern= 
ing  John,  whether  haply  he  were  the  Christ  (Messiah). 
See  John  i.  19,  ff.  True,  John  did  no  miracle  ;  but, 
after  all,  might  not  he  possibly  be  the  Expected  One  ? 
Now  the  people  were  in  such  a  state  as  to  be  led  pretty 
easily  by  one  who  had,  for  his  character  and  preaching, 
so  commanded  their  attention  and  respect  as  John  had. 
The  Baptist  had  means  of  knowing  the  popular  feeling, 
and  might  have  ridden  on  a  high  wave  of  popularity  into 
military    leadership.     But   this    humble    great    man    was 


III.  15,  16.]  CHAPTER  in.  73 

faithful  to  his  mission,  and  met  the  popular  feeling  with 
explicit  and  repeated  denial  of  his  being  what  they 
thought  he  might  be,  while  he  pointed  steadfastly  to 
One  at  hand  who  was  the  long-expected,  the  Messiah. 

16.  John  answered,  saying  unto  them  all,  I  indeed  baptize  you  with 
water;  but  there  cometh  he  that  is  mightier  than  I,  the  latchet  of  whose 
shoes  I  an  not  worthy  to  unloose  :  he  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost 
and  with  fire ; 

16.  John's  testimony  was  open  unto  them  all.  In  it 
he  contrasted  the  persons  and  the  baptisms  of  himself 
and  the  Coming  One.  I  .  .  .  he  that  is  mightier  than 
I.  I,  said  he  afterwards,  must  decrease  ;  but  He  must 
increase.  The  friend  of  the  bridegroom,  he  seeks  not  to 
take  His  room,  but  rejoices  in  His  nearness.  The 
latchet,  thong,  of  whose  shoes,  sandals,  I  am  not 
worthy  to  unloose,  am  not  worthy  to  be  His  most  lowly 
servant.  Considering  the  popular  estimate  of  John,  how 
exalting  to  Jesus  must  his  testimony  have  been  in  their 
eyes !  I  baptize  you  with  water  ...  he  shall  baptize 
you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire.  The  elements 
of  the  ordinance  differed  as  much  as  the  administrators 
thereof.  Water  was  the  symbol  of  purification  ;  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  fire  were  to  be  the  agencies  thereof.  The 
former  was  the  sign  ;  the  latter  the  substance.  See  Acts 
ii.  1-4,  17-21,  33;  xi.  15-17.  Some  understand  the 
"  fire"  here  to  refer  to  judgment,  as  in  ver.  17;  but  the 
better  interpretation  refers  it  to  the  tongues  of  fire  at 
Pentecost,  fire  being  also  a  symbol  of  purifying  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  John's  baptism  was  preliminary  and 
preparatory  to  Christ's.     (See  Acts  xix.  4-6.) 

Has  Jesus  baptized  you  ?  (ver.  16).  Was  it  an  empty 
form?  Do  you  let  the  fire  of  His  Spirit  burn  within  you, 
purifying  your  heart  and  shedding  light  both  within  and 
around  you  ? 


74  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  i\\\.  \-]-\(). 

17.  Whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  thoroughly  to  cleanse  his  tlireshing-floor 
and  to  gather  the  wheat  into  his  garner;  but  the  chaff  he  will  burn  up  with 
unquenchable  fire. 

17.  Here  the  preacher  of  repentance  testifies  of  judg- 
ment to  come,  and  represents  the  Messiah  as  the  Great 
Harvester,  whose  fan,  or  winnowing-shovel,  is  in  his 
hand,   ready  thoroughly   to  cleanse  his   threshing-floor. 

In  those  days  the  floor  was  a  place  in  the  open  field 
looking  much  like  a  ring  seen  on  the  commons,  in  these 
days,  after  a  circus  performance.  The  mangled  wheat, 
chaff,  and  broken  straw,  over  which  the  oxen  had  trod- 
den and  perhaps  drawn  a  sledge,  was  thrown  up  in  the 
air,  and  the  wind  separated  the  wheat  from  the  chaff. 
Jesus  will  discriminate,  and  will  gather  the  wheat,  the 
godly,  into  his  garner,  into  heaven  ;  but  the  chaffy  the 
ungodly  (see  Ps.  i.  4),  he  will  burn  up  with  unquench- 
able fire.  Remediless  destruction.  The  figure  is  taken 
from  setting  fire  on  the  windward  side  to  the  pile  of 
refuse  chaff  and  straw  of  the  threshing-floor ;  how  irre- 
sistible the  flame ! 

18.  ^Yith  many  other  exhortations  therefore  preached  he  good  tidings 
unto  the  people  ; 

18.  With  many  other  exhortations,  some  of  which  we 
read  in  John  i.  iS-36;  iii.  25-36;  Mark  vi.  17,  18,  and  allu- 
sion to  some  of  which  we  find  in  Luke  xi,  i,  preached  he 
good  tidings  unto  the  people.  The  sacred  writers  give  us 
only  an  outline  of  John's  preaching. 

19.  20.  But  Herod  the  tetrarch,  being  reproved  by  him  for  Herodias  his 
brother's  wife,  and  for  all  the  evil  things  which  Herod  had  done,  added  yet 
this  above  all,  that  he  shut  up  John  in  prison. 

Herod,  Antipas,  the  tetrarch  of  Galilee  (see  on  ver. 
i),  son  of  the  Herod  that  slew  the  innocents  in  hope  of 
destroying  Jesus,  was  like  his  father  in  bad  character,  and 


III.I9-2I.]  CHAPTER  III.  75 

came  in,  with  the  rest  of  the  people,  for  reproof  at  the 
hands  of  John,  who  without  fear  or  favor  proclaimed 
truth  and  righteousness.  Like  the  "prophet  of  fire," 
Elijah,  in  whose  spirit  and  power  he  came,  John  rebuked 
kings  for  the  truth's  sake.  But  Herod  preferred  Her= 
odias,  his  brother  Philip's  wife,  with  whom  he,  forsak- 
ing his  lawful  wife,  the  daughter  of  Aretas,  of  Arabia, 
was  living  adulterously.  For  this  and  for  all  the  evil 
things  of  his  life  John  faithfully  reproved  the  politi- 
cally distinguished  offender.  And  for  this  faithfulness 
the  wicked  misrepresentative  of  rightful  authority  shut 
up  John  in  prison,  where  the  Forerunner  at  length, 
his  mission  ended,  ended  his  life,  a  martyr  to  truth. 
See  this  matter  more  fully  set  forth  in  Matt.  xiv.  1-12  ; 
Mark.  vi.  1 7-29.  Luke  merely  mentions  the  fact  here  while 
speaking  of  John's  ministry  which  practically  ends  with 
the  introduction  of  Jesus  into  His  public  ministry. 

21,  22.  Now  it  came  to  pass,  when  all  the  people  were  baptized,  that 
Jesus  also  having  been  baptized,  and  praying,  the  heaven  was  opened,  and 
the  Holy  Ghost  descended  in  a  bodily  form,  as  a  dove,  upon  him,  and  a 
voice  came  out  of  heaven,  Thou  art  my  beloved  Son  ;  in  thee  I  am  well 
pleased. 

But  before  John  passed  off  the  scene  of  his  preaching, 
he  performed  the  most  important  act  of  his  ministry,  as 
narrated  in  these  verses.  When  all  the  people  were 
baptized  by  John,  should  not  Jesus  be  baptized  ?  Was 
not  He  one  of  "  the  people  "  ?  But  why  should  a  sinless 
one  be  baptized  unto  repentance?  Because  He  was  to 
be  made  "  in  all  things  like  unto  his  brethren."  He  rep- 
resented mankind.  Hence  He  was  born,  was  circumcised 
the  eighth  day,  and  here  now  was  baptized.  In  con- 
nection wMth  the  ordinance,  while  Jesus  w^as  praying 
(holy  example  for  us)  the  heaven  was  opened,  the 
vaulted  dome  above  undid  its  doors,  and  the    Holy  Ghost 


•j6  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [111.22,23. 

descended  in  the  sight  of  John  and  we  know  not  of  whom 
else,  in  a  bodily  form,  taking  a  shape  as  a  dove,  and  rested 
upon  him,  upon  Jesus;  and  this  was  not  all,  for  a  voice 
came  out  of  heaven  too,  and  said,  Thou  art  my  be= 
loved  son;  in  thee  I  am  well  pleased.  Here  each  per- 
son of  the  adorable  Holy  Trinity  was  manifest  to  the 
senses  of  men,  and  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is  plainly 
set  forth  and  incontrovertibly  established.  At  the  same 
time  Jesus  appears  as  having  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead 
dwelling  in  Him,  and  from  this  time  entered  upon  His 
public  ministry  as  the  Lord's  Anointed,  the  Messiah,  the 
Christ.  (See  on  Matt.  iii.  13-17  ;  Mark.  i.  9-1 1.)  Careful 
readers  and  thinkers  will  distinguish  between  this  assum- 
ing of  the  form  of  a  dove  by  the  Holy  Spirit  and  the  incar- 
nation of  the  Son  of  God.  The  spirit  did  not  become 
a  dove,  but  only  assumed  \\\-a.X.  bodily  form  ;  but  the  Word 
became  flesh,  did  not  merely  assume  human  nature.  The 
Son  of  God  became  the  Son  of  man  and  Christ  is  man  as 
well  as  God. 

23.     And  Jesus  himself,  when  he  began  to  teach,  was  about  thirty  years  of 
age,  being  the  son  (as  was  supposed)  of  Joseph,  the  son  of  HeU. 

23.  Having  finished  all  he  has  to  say  about  John,  the 
Forerunner  and  his  ministry,  Luke  now  comes  to  the 
public  ministry  of  Jesus  himself,  and  records  that,  when 
he  began  (comp.  Acts  i.  21)  His  ministry.  He  was 
about  thirty  years  of  age.  Learn  here  that  it  is  the 
divine  way  for  one  to  become  prepared  for  his  work  be- 
fore entering  upon  it.  OUESNEL  says,  "  How  important 
the  lesson  of  silence  and  humility,  if  Christ  gave  thirty 
years  of  life  and  example  to  this,  and  but  three  to  all  the 
other  gospel  truths  !  "  Being  the  son  (as  was  supposed, 
since  no  other  stood  apparently  in  the  relation  of  father 
to  Him)  of  Joseph.     He  passed   for  Joseph's  son.     (See 


III.  23.]  CHAPTER  III.  77 

ii.  27,  33,  41,  49;  iv.  22  ;  John  i.  45  vi.  42.)  Legally  He 
was  Joseph's  son;  in  fact  He  had  no  human  father,  and 
no  earthly  genealogy  except  through  His  mother,  Mary. 
With  this  in  view,  and  considering  the  differences  be- 
tween the  genealogical  table  here  following  and  that  of 
Matt.  (i.  1-16),  the  opinion  most  commonly  adopted  is 
that  Luke  in  his  table  gives  the  descent  of  Mary,  and 
that  she,  as  well  as  Joseph,  was  descended  from  David. 
(See  on  i.  32.)  Heli,  then,  was  Mary's  father  (and  there  is 
a  tradition  to  this  effect),  and  Joseph  was  his  son-in-law. 
Except  in  this  verse  there  is  no  word  in  the  original, 
throughout  the  whole  list,  for  "  son  ;  "  it  is,  however,  nat- 
urally and  usually,  in  such  lists,  supplied  ;  but  the  descent 
indicated  may  be  other  than  this  specific  natural  relation, 
as  we  see  in  ver.  38,  where  Adam  is  called  "  the  son  of 
God."  The  genitives  indicate  source,  origin,  whether 
natural  or  otherwise.  There  is  nothing  inconsistent  with 
the  Greek  or  with  usage  in  the  explanation  that  Jesus 
was  the  grandson  of  Heli  through  Mary,  His  mother. 

Matthew,  it  is  argued  with  much  reason,  writing  for  the 
Jews,  felt  the  necessity  of  showing  Jesus  to  be  the  son  of 
Abraham  and  the  son  of  David  ;  Luke,  writing  for  Gen- 
tiles, showing  the  Gospel  to  be  for  mankind,  traces  the 
genealogy  of  Jesus  "according  to  the  flesh"  (Rom.  i.  3  ; 
Acts  xiii.  23),  and  shows  Him  to  be,  through  David's  line, 
sprung  from  Adam,  the  father  of  the  race,  who  came  into 
being  by  the  direct  creation  of  God.  Matthew's  list  begins 
with  Abraham  and  comes  down  to  Jesus,  very  carefully 
showing  by  the  language  he  uses  (Matt  i.  16)  that  Joseph 
was  "  the  husband  of  Mary,"  but  not  the  father  of  Jesus. 
Luke's  list  begins  with  Jesus  and  runs  back  to  Adam  and 
God. 

An  old  theory  holds  that  the  genealogy  here  given  by 
Luke  is,  as  Matthew's  is,  Joseph's,  and  explains  Matthew's 


78  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [iir.  23-31. 

calling  him  the  son  of  "  Jacob"  (Matt.  i.  16)  and  Luke  "  the 
son  of  Heli"  by  a  Levirate  marriage  (Deut.  xxv.  5,  6,  10) 
and  that  Jacob  was  the  real  and  Heli  the  legal  father  of 
Joseph ;  Matthew's  list,  then,  would  be  the  real,  and 
Luke's  the  legal,  descent  of  Joseph. 

A  more  recent  theory  advocates  the  view  that  Matthew 
gives  Joseph's  legal  descent  as  successor  to  the  throne  of 
David,  whilst  Luke  gives  Joseph's  real  parentage — this 
theory  also  resorting  to  a  Levirate  marriage  of  Jacob's 
widow  by  Heli. 

We  must  refer  any  who  wish  to  study  this  intricate 
subject  exhaustively  to  the  extended  literature  that  has 
appeared  upon  it  or  to  cyclopedias  which  give  digests  of, 
and  references  to,  said  literature.     (See  on  Matt.  i.  1-17.) 

Let  it  be  noted  that,  in  the  early  centuries,  the  Jews, 
who  were  so  careful  about  genealogies,  founded  no  cavil 
against  the  gospel  history  upon  anything  in  either  of  these 
lists. 

24-31.  The  soil  of  Matthat,  the  son  of  Levi,  the  son  of  Melchi,  the  son 
of  Jannai,  the  son  of  Joseph,  the  son  of  Mattathias,  the  son  of  Amos,  the 
son  of  Nahum,  the  son  of  Esli,  the  son  of  Naggai,  the  son  of  Maath,  the  son 
of  Mattathias,  the  son  of  Semein,  the  son  of  Josech,  the  son  of  Joda,  the  j^« 
of  Joanan,  the  son  of  Rhesa,  the  son  of  Zerubbabel,  the  son  of  Shealtiel, 
the  son  of  Neri,  the  soti  of  Melchi,  the  soti  of  Addi,  the  son  of  Cosam,  the 
son  of  Elmadam,  the  son  of  Er,  the  son  of  Jesus,  the  son  of  Eliezer,  the  son 
of  Jorini,  the  son  of  Matthat,  the  soti  of  Levi,  the  son  of  Symeon,  the  son  of 
Judas,  the  son  of  Joseph,  the  son  of  Jonam,  the  son  of  Eliakim,  the  son  of 
Melea,  the  son  of  Menna,  the  son  of  Mattatha,  the  son  of  Nathan,  the  son  of 
David, 

24-31.  There  are  a  great  many  more  names  between 
Joseph  and  David  in  Luke's  list  than  in  Matthew's,  and 
the  lists  come  together  only  in  Zerubbabel  and  Shealtiel. 
(Observe  that  there  are  different  ways  of  spelling  the 
same  names.)  If  these  are  the  same  persons  in  the  two 
lists,  a  Levirate  marriage  is  again  resorted  to  for  explana- 


III.  31-38.]  CHAPTER  III.  79 

tion,  by  which  Shealtiel  was  the  natural  son  of  Neri,  but 
legally  the  .son  of  "  Jechoniah  "  (Matt.  i.  12):  the  lists 
part  again  in  the  son  of  Zerubbabel,  Joseph  taking  his 
lineage  from  Abiud,  one  of  his  sons,  and  Heli,  the  father 
of  Mary,  from  Rhesa,  another  of  his  sons.  Similarly, 
whilst  Joseph  descended  from  David  through  Solomon 
(Matt.  i.  6,  7),  Heli  came  through  Nathan,  another  of 
David's  sons. 

32-34.  The  son  of  Jesse,  the  son  of  Obed,  the  son  of  Boaz,  the  son  of 
Salmon,  the  son  of  Nahshon,  the  son  of  Ammmadab,  the  so7i  of  Ami,  the 
son  of  Hezron,  the  son  of  Perez,  the  son  of  Judah,  the  son  of  Jacob,  the  son 
of  Isaac,  the  son  of  Abraham,  the  son  of  Terah,  the  son  of  Nahor, 

32-34.  From  David  to  Abraham  the  lists  agree. 
Matthew  runs  his  genealogy  no  further  back. 

35-38.  The  son  of  Serug,  the  son  of  Reu,  the  son  of  Peleg,  the  son  of 
Eber,  the  son  of  Shelah,  the  son  of  Cainan,  the  son  of  Arphaxad,  the  son  of 
Shem,  the  son  of  Noah,  the  son  of  Lamech,  the  son  of  Methuselah,  the  so7i 
of  Enoch,  the  son  of  Jared;  the  son  of  Mahalaleel,  the  soji  of  Cainan,  the 
son  of  Enos,  the  son  of  Seth,  the  son  of  Adam,  the  son  of  God. 

35-38.  Luke  runs  back,  through  names  that  may  be 
traced  in  Gen.  v..,  x.,  xi.,  to  Adam,  who  was  the  son  of 
God,  not  as  progenitor  but  as  Creator. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

The  Temptation.  (Comp.  Matt.  iv.  i-ii  ;  Mark  i. 
12,  13.)  Mark  merely  states  the  fact  of  the  temptation  ; 
Matthew,  as  well  as  Luke,  gives  details. 

I,  2.  And  Jesus,  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  returned  from  the  Jordan,  and 
was  led  by  the  Spirit  in  the  wilderness  during  forty  days,  being  tempted  of 
the  devil.  And  he  did  eat  nothing  in  those  days :  and  when  they  were 
completed,  he  hungered. 

I,  2.  Full  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  came  upon  Him 
at  His  baptism  and  abode  upon  Him  (John  i.  33). 
From  the  Jordan,  the  scene  of  his  baptism.  Whilst  the 
other  two  evangelists  indicate  that  Jesus  was  urged  into 
the  wilderness  by  the  Spirit  for  the  purpose  of  enduring 
temptation,  Luke  points  out  that  He  was  led  by  (or, 
rather,  in)  the  Spirit  while  there,  and  that  He  did  eat 
nothing,  a  complete  fast,  and  was  tempted  during  the 
whole  period  of  the  forty  days,  though  details  are  given 
only  of  the  tempter's  last  grand  assault  when  they  were 
completed.  No  doubt  Jesus'  mind  was  all  this  while 
taken  up  with  His  mission,  "  absorbed  by  spiritual 
realities ;  a  state  which,  although  never  fully  attained  by 
any  person,  yet,  even  in  the  modified  degree  reached  by 
ordinary  men,  renders  them,  for  a  considerable  period,  in- 
dependent of  the  common  necessaries  of  life  "  (Lange). 
Jesus  at  the  well  said,  "  I  have  meat  to  eat  that  ye  know 
not  :  My  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  Him  that  sent  Me  and  to 
accomplish  His  work  "  (John  iv.  32-34).  That  afterwards 
he  hungered  was  merely  natural,  as  a  human  weakness. 

Characteristically,  taking  advantage  of  this  His  con- 
80 


IV.  1-4-]  CHAPTER  IV.  8 1 

dition  Satan  made  the  desperate  onslaughts  whose  recital 
follows. 

The  narrative  of  the  temptation  is  a  simple  one,  yet 
full  of  mystery  to  us  owing  to  our  want  of  knowledge. 
The  events  chronicled  are,  however,  as  real  as  any  in  the 
sacred  history.  They  are  no  myth  or  parable,  but  a  nec- 
essary part  of  the  human  history  of  Him  who,  to  become 
our  Saviour,  was  made  in  all  things  like  unto  us.  For 
His  own  sake,  as  the  second  Adam  (i  Cor.  xv.  45),  and 
as  Mediator  to  be  perfected  through  suffering  (Heb.  ii. 
10;  V.  9),  including  the  common  lot  of  men  (Heb.  ii. 
17,  18),  as  well  as  for  our  sakes,  a  sublime  example  of  faith 
and  duty,  Jesus  was  tempted. 

3,  4.  And  the  devil  said  unto  him,  If  thou  art  the  Son  of  God,  command 
this  stone  that  it  become  bread.  And  Jesus  answered  unto  him,  It  is 
written,  Man  shall  not  live  by  bread  alone. 

3,  4.  Same  as  in  Matthew,  except  that  Luke  uses  the 
singular,  this  stone,  and  makes  it  the  direct  object  of 
address,  and,  further,  gives  only  the  first  part  of  the  quo- 
tation from  Deut.  viii.  3. 

The  personality  of  the  devil  is  clearly  indicated  in  the 
account  of  the  temptation,  and  as  in  Eden  he  assumed 
the  form  of  a  serpent,  so  here  in  the  wilderness  he  may 
have  transformed  himself  into  an  angel  of  light  (2  Cor. 
xi.  14),  to  approach  the  holy  Saviour.  Observe  that 
what  Satan  bade  Jesus  do  was  not  wrong  in  itself. 

The  time  was  coming,  when  His  power  would  be  seen 
in  the  wilderness,  multiplying  the  loaves  and  fishes,  and  so 
providing  food  for  hungry  thousands.  But  "  himself  he 
cannot  save ; "  He  came  to  personal  humiliation  and 
poverty;  He  came  to  obey  and  suffer;  and  all  the  con- 
ditions of  human  nature  as  it  is  in  the  world  He  must 
meet  with  patience.  So  he  answered,  It  is  written,  a 
divine  word  to  inspire  human  trust. 


82  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [iv.  4,  5. 

God's  typical  son,  Israel,  fell  into  Satan's  snares,  and 
murmured  against  Moses  and  against  God,  and  said. 
Whence  shall  we  get  bread  in  the  wilderness?  God 
showed  them  whence  :  the  manna  came,  according  to 
His  word  (Deut.  viii.  2-5).  God's  true  Son,  in  whom 
He  is  ever  well  pleased,  will  not  distrust  His  Father. 
Humbled  though  He  be,  He  will  rest  in  God's  word,  and 
wait.  Our  first  parents,  listening  to  Satan,  thought  they 
knew  better  than  God,  and,  to  serve  their  appetite,  lost 
Paradise  ;  but  the  second  Adam,  in  the  wilderness,  rejects 
the  tempter  and  gains  it  back  to  us  !  "  Trust  in  the 
Lord  and  do  good :  so  shalt  thou  dwell  in  the  land,  and 
verily  thou  shalt  be  fed."  The  temptation  to  distrust 
failed. 

5-8.  And  he  led  him  up  and  shewed  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world 
in  a  moment  of  time  And  the  devil  said  unto  him,  To  thee  will  I  give  all 
this  authority,  and  the  glory  of  them  :  for  it  hath  been  delivered  unto  me: 
and  to  whomsoever  I  will  I  give  it.  If  thou  therefore  wilt  worship  before 
me,  it  shall  be  thine.  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  him,  It  is  written, 
Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve. 

5-8.  Luke  gives  second  what  Matthew  puts  third  in  the 
narrative  of  the  temptation.  Such  variations  as  this, 
and  other  verbal  ones  noted,  are  wont  to  be  found  in 
several  truthful  witnesses  of  the  same  thing,  or  narrators 
of  the  same  story.  Exact  correspondence  in  order  and 
words  would  open  suspicion  of  collusion,  and  mar  the 
record. 

He  led  him  up  to  the  rugged  top  of  Qiiarantania^ 
north  of  Jericho,  or  wherever  it  was,  from  which  there  was 
an  enchanting  view  not  only  over  the  beautiful  land  of 
promise  but  across  the  Jordan  and  north  and  south  far 
away.  From  that  height  in  a  moment  of  time  all  Avas 
easily  taken  in — have  you  never  been  on  such  a  high 
place  of  commanding  view?     And  showed  him  all  the 


IV.  6-8.]  CHAPTER  IV.  83 

kingdoms  of  the  world.  There  before  His  eyes  they 
were  in  miniature,  land  and  water,  hill  and  dale,  fruitful 
field  and  barren  mountain,  a  beautiful,  enrapturing  pros- 
pect ;  a  picture  representative  of  the  whole  world.  What 
further  appeal  to  Jesus'  imagination  Satan  made  we  are 
not  told.  To  thee  will  I  give  all  this  authority,  and  the 
glory  of  them,  said  he.  Had  he  them  to  give?  We 
think  that  as  "  the  god  of  this  world,"  "  the  prince  of 
this  world,"  he  in  some  measure  had.  He  did  not  claim 
it  as  a  native  right,  but  it  hath  been  delivered  unto  me. 
(See  Rev.  xii.  12;  xiii.  2,  7.)  The  Lord  did  not  charge 
him  with  making  a  lying  offer  of  what  he  in  no  way  had 
control  of.  Yet  it  appeared  a  better  offer  than  it  was ; 
for  Satan's  influence  is  neither  absolute  nor  permanent. 
His  offer  was  a  half-truth  or  less.  The  condition  was.  If 
thou  wilt  worship  before  me.  Truly  Jesus  had  come  to 
gain  back  the  empire  of  this  world,  but  not  in  that  way  ; 
at  dreadful  cost  indeed,  but  cost  of  love  and  suffering, 
not  of  character.  Satan  asks  an  exhorbitant  price  for 
that  for  which  he  could  give  no  good  title.  Had  Jesus 
turned  aside  from  His  perfection,  to  enter  the  arena  with 
worldly  rulers  and  ambitions.  He  would  no  doubt  have 
pleased  the  carnal  hopes  of  those  who  afterwards  opposed 
Him.  The  chief  priests  and  scribes  would  then  have 
persuaded  the  people  to  cry,  "  Live,  King  Jesus!  Down 
with  the  Romans  !  "  instead  of  that  cry  of  servitude  to 
Pilate,  "  Crucify  Him  !  Crucify  Him  !  "  Satan,  and 
afterwards  the  multitudes,  proposed  to  make  Jesus  a 
king.  But  He  was  already  a  king,  whom  they  knew  not, 
and  had  already  been  worshipped  by  the  representative 
first-fruits  of  the  nations  of  the  earth  !  (See  Matt.  ii.  1 1.) 
Still  there  was  in  this  assault  of  Satan  a  real  and  power- 
ful temptation,  to  and  through  vain  worldly  ambition. 
It  also  failed. 


84  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [iv.9-11. 

9-12.  And  he  led  him  to  Jerusalem,  and  set  him  on  the  pinnacle  of  the 
temple,  and  said  unto  him.  If  thou  art  the  Son  of  God,  cast  thyself  down 
from  hence  :  For  it  is  written, 

He  shall  give  his  angels  charge  concerning  thee  to  guard  thee : 
And, 

On  their  hands  they  shall  bear  thee  up, 
Lest  haply  thou  dash  thy  foot  against  a  stone. 
And  Jesus  answering  said  unto  him,  It  is  written.  Thou  shalt  not  tempt  the 
Lord  thy  God. 

9,  10,  II,  12.  Luke  says  to  Jerusalem,  which  was  "  the 
holy  city  "  (Matt.),  and  which  was  not  far  off  from  the 
wilderness  in  which  they  were.  Jesus  was  not  yet  known 
in  Jerusalem  ;  this  was  the  very  beginning  of  His  public 
ministry.  No  crowd  would  gather  about  Him  now. 
That  He  suffered  Satan  to  conduct  Him  thither  was 
part  of  His  humiliation,  submission  to  man's  experiences. 
The  evil  suggestion  was,  Cast  thyself  down.  Do  some- 
thing extraordinary.  Try  thy  powers,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  astonish  and  attract  the  multitude — who  are  always 
taken  by  some  such  wonderful  feat.  If  thou  art  the  Son 
of  God,  do  not  seem  to  be  just  like  the  sons  of  men. 
Use  thy  prerogatives.  Triumph  where  man  fears  and 
draws  back.  Then  the  crafty  pretender  tries  to  use  the 
weapon  with  which  he  had  before  been  vanquished,  and 
he  too  quotes  Scripture.  For  it  is  written,  quoth  he,  He 
(thy  Father,  God)  shall  give  his  angels,  whose  office  it 
is  to  minister  to  God's  chosen  ones,  charge  concerning 
thee  to  guard  thee  safe  from  harm.  What  particular 
and  constant  care  is  here  indicated  ;  and  Satan  quotes 
from  a  Psalm  (xci.)  acknowledged  to  have  the  Messiah 
for  its  theme.  Seeing  the  Lord  will  go  by  what  is  writ- 
ten, Satan  resorts  to  that,  and  brings  out  a  text.  But, 
like  some  preachers,  he  wanted  to  get  out  of  it  what  was 
not  in  it,  omitting  the  phrase,  "in  all  thy  ways"  (Ps.  xci. 
11),  and  quoting  it  as  though  the  promise  could  be  plead 


IV.  12,  13-]  CHAPTER  IV.  8$ 

for  all  ways,  whether  right  or  wrong  ways,  whether  of 
presumption  or  of  obedience. 

But  God's  children  can  claim  God's  promises  only 
when  they  are  walking  in  God's  ways,  "  as  obedient  chil- 
dren." To  act  otherwise  and  then  come  claiming  the 
promises,  is  to  do  presumptuously,  is  trying,  as  we  say, 
to  God.  And  it  is  said  in  the  same  Scriptures  (Deut.  vi. 
i6),  Jesus  replies.  Thou  shall  not  tempt  (test,  try,  pro- 
voke) the  Lord  thy  God.  This  command  was  given  in 
view  of  what  that  other  son  of  God,  Israel,  had  done 
repeatedly,  now  testing  God's  power  to  provide,  saying, 
"Is  the  Lord  among  us  or  not?"  (Ex.  xvii.  1-7;  Num. 
XX.  1-13  ;  xxi.  4-6);  and  now  again  His  power  to  judge 
and  punish  (Ex.  xxxii.  1-6;  Num.  xxv.  1-3).  Comp.  Ps. 
Ixxviii.  17-24,  56-58  ;  xcv.  8-1 1  ;  cvi.  14;  i  Cor.  x.  6-12. 
Now  Jesus  here  refuses  to  tempt  God  by  presumptuously 
rushing  into  danger,  looking  at  the  same  time  for  divine 
protection.  Safety  lies  only  in  the  line  of  duty;  dangers 
there  should  not  deter  ;  but  we  may  not  court  danger, 
or  needlessly  expose  ourselves. 

13.     And  when  the  devil  had  completed  every  temptation,  he  departed 
from  him  for  a  season. 

13.  Every  temptation  that  he  then  had  ready,  that 
then  came  into  his  mind.  Some  think  it  means  every 
kind  of  temptation,  that  Satan  had  assailed  the  Saviour 
in  every  point  of  His  human  nature,  and  refer  to  Heb. 
iv.  15.  For  a  season.  Rather  should  this  read.  Until 
an  opportunity.  Satan  would  tempt  Jesus  again,  when 
he  would  find  a  likely  occasion  for  so  doing.  He  found 
the  Jews  (John  viii.  44)  serviceable  instruments  in  such 
temptation  (comp.  xix.  47;  xx.  40),  and  afterwards  Judas 
(xxii.  3  ;  John  xiii.  2,  27)  ;  and  in  Gethsemane  (xxii.  39- 
46),  and  on  the  cross  (xxiii.  33-46;  Matt,  xxvii.  39-50),  he 
found,  and  used  to  the  utmost,  his  last  opportunity. 


86  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [iv.  14,  15. 

Matthew  and  Mark  finish  their  account  of  the  tempta- 
tion of  Jesus  with  the  coming  and  ministration  to  Him  of 
the  holy  angels.  Lange  adds,"  Without  doubt,  it  is  in  the 
spirit  of  the  narration  if  we  conceive  to  ourselves  these 
as  invisible  witnesses  of  the  combat  and  triumph  of  Jesus." 

14,  15.  And  Jesus  returned  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit  into  Galilee  :  and 
a  fame  went  out  concerning  him  through  all  the  region  round  about.  And 
he  taught  in  their  synagogues,  being  glorified  of  all. 

14,  15.  Returned  from  Judaea  whither  He  had  gone  to 
be  baptized,  and  where  He  was  tempted,  into  Galilee, 
whence  He  had  at  the  first  set  out.     In  the  power  of  tlie 

Spirit  given  to  Him  without  measure  (John  iii.  34)  at  His 
baptism  and  abiding  on  Him.  Fame  lifted  up  her  head 
and  stalked  throughout  all  the  region  around,  speaking 
concerning  him.  This  was  altogether  natural,  consider- 
ing who  He  was  and  what  He  did  ;  for  now  He  was 
manifesting  Himself  to  Israel.  He,  for  His  part,  was 
teaching  in  their  synagogues.  The  synagogue  was  the 
Jews'  place  of  religious  assembly,  corresponding  to  our 
"church."  After  the  captivity  one  might  be  found  in 
every  considerable  town  where  Jews  dwelt,  and  large 
cities  had  many  synagogues.  Here  was  the  proper  place 
for  the  first  preaching  of  the  gospel,  the  fulfilment  of  the 
Jews'  religion  ;  here  Jesus  would  find  the  people,  espe- 
cially on  the  Sabbath  day.  The  Aramaean  Syro-Chaldaic 
dialect  had  taken  the  place  of  the  pure  Hebrew  in  Pales- 
tine since  the  Babylonish  captivity,  and  was  the  current 
language  of  Palestine  in  our  Lord's  day.  This  He  likely 
used  in  His  preaching.  Greek  was  the  medium  of  com- 
munication with  strangers,  foreigners  ;  Jesus'  quotations 
from  the  Scriptures  show  a  familiarity  with  them  in  the 
original  Hebrew  as  well  as  with  the  Greek  translation, 
called  the  Septuagint. 

Glorified  of  all.     His  praise  was  in  every  one's  mouth. 


IV.  15,  1 6.]  CHAPTER  IF.  87 

Luke's  account  by  itself  would  lead  us  to  suppose  that, 
right  upon  Jesus'  baptism  and  temptation,  He  began  His 
ministry  in  Galilee.  But  a  comparison  of  all  the  gospel 
narratives  leads  to  a  different  conclusion.  From  Matt. 
iv.  12  and  Mark  i.  14  we  conclude  that  Jesus'  preaching 
tours  in  Galilee  did  not  begin  till  after  John  the  Baptist's 
imprisonment  ;  and  John,  up  to  iv.  43,  gives  an  outline 
of  Jesus'  movements,  covering  over  a  year  of  time  (if  the 
accepted  harmonists  are  right),  of  which  the  other  evan- 
gelists give  no  account.  At  John  ii.  13  v/e  find  it  was 
the  time  of  the  Passover,  always  occurring  in  springtime, 
in  our  March  or  April,  and  at  John  iv.  43  we  find  another 
mark  of  time  indicating  as  late  a  period  as  December. 
(See  John  xx.  30,  31  ;  xxi.  25,  for  explanation  of  so  bare 
an  outline  of  the  period  referred  to,  as  well  as  of  the 
whole  period  of  Jesus'  ministry.)  Jesus  appears  to  have 
begun  His  ministry  in  Judaea  (John  iii.  25-30  ;  iv.  1-3) 
and  to  have  left  that  country  upon  the  opposition  which 
His  success  among  the  common  people  was  arousing 
among  the  leaders.  Thereupon  He  went  into  Galilee 
and  there  preached  the  kingdom  of  God. 

16.  And  he  came  to  Nazareth,  where  he  had  been  brought  up  :  and  he 
entered,  as  his  custom  was,  into  the  synagogue,  on  the  sabbath  day,  and 
stood  up  to  read. 

16.  In  the  course  of  Jesus'  preaching  tour  he  came  to 
Nazareth.  This  visit  seems  to  have  occurred  more  than 
a  year  after  Jesus'  entering  on  His  ministry.  In  Mark 
vi.  1-6  and  Luke  xiii.  54-58  we  have  accounts  of  a  later 
visit  of  Jesus  to  Nazareth,  when  He  received  similar 
treatment.  Nazareth  was  where  he  had  been  brought 
up,  known  among  neighbors  and  acquaintance  there  for 
thirty  years,  a  place  of  peculiar  interest  for  the  preacher 
as  well  as  for  the  hearers.  His  movements  among  the 
people   there   during  the  week-days,   and   His   converse 


88  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [iv.  i6. 

with  them,  are  not  told  us.  So  much  we  know,  that 
even  His  brothers  did  not  beheve  in  Him,  and  there  was 
no  disposition  in  the  community  there  to  accord  distinc- 
tion to  one  of  themselves.  Jesus'  custom  of  attending 
the  synagogue  is  an  example  to  us.  Stood  up  at  the 
proper  time,  to  read  from  the  Scriptures.  Edersheim 
takes  it  that  He  had  previously  been  invited  and  ap- 
pointed by  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue  to  take  this  part 
in  the  services,  and  that  He  had  also  conducted  the 
earlier  liturgical  service,  including  the  prayer.  For  (see 
vers.  14,  15  ;  John  iv.  45-54),  "The  service  of  the  syna- 
gogue," says  Farrar,  "  was  not  unlike  our  own.  After 
the  prayers  two  lessons  were  always  read,  one  from  the 
Law,  and  one  from  the  Prophets  ;  and  as  there  were  no 
ordained  ministers  to  conduct  the  services — for  the  office 
of  priests  and  Levites  at  Jerusalem  was  wholly  different 
— these  lessons  might  not  only  be  read  by  any  competent 
person  who  received  permission  from  the  ruler  of  the 
synagogue,  but  he  was  even  at  liberty  to  add  his  own 
comment."  At  the  reading  all  were  accustomed  to 
stand.  The  same  custom  is  observed  in  most  Lutheran 
churches  in  Europe.  They  thus  show  and  teach  rever- 
ence for  and  appreciation  of  God's  Word.  This  also  is 
the  purpose  of  the  sentences  said  or  sung  by  the  people 
after  the  reading  of  the  Epistle  and  Gospel  in  "  The 
Common  Service."  There  was  doubtless  some  flutter  of 
excitement  when  the  young  carpenter,  who,  in  his  life  be- 
fore, had  been  but  an  attentive  listener,  stepped  forward 
to  the  place  of  the  reader. 

17-19.  And  there  was  delivered  unto  him  the  book  of  the  prophet 
Isaiah.  And  he  opened  the  book,  and  found  the  place  where  it  was  v/rit- 
ten, 

The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me, 

Because  he  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings  to  the  poor : 


IV.  17,  i8.]  CHAPTER  IV.  89 

He  hath  sent  me  to  proclaim  release  to  the  captives, 

And  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind, 

To  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised, 

To  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord. 

17.  The  reading  of  the  Law  was  over  when  Jesus  stood 
up.  The  reading  from  the  Prophets  came  next.  The 
ofificer  in  charge  of  the  sacred  rolls  delivered  unto  him 
the  book  of  the  prophet  Isaiah,  the  "  Evangelical 
Prophet,"  so  full  of  testimony  to  Jesus.  It  was  opened 
by  unrolling.  He  found  the  place.  It  is  doubtful 
whether  the  Rabbinical  cycle  of  Sabbath  readings  or 
lessons  was  as  yet  in    use  ;  so  that    it  cannot  be  proved 

that  the  place  found  was  the  lesson  for  the  day yet  it 

may  have  been.  Jesus  would  scarcely  depart  from  what- 
ever established  order  there  was :  yet  it  may  have  been 
allowed  to  read  other  Scripture  too,  and  He  may  have 
found  this  place  for  the  special  purpose  He  had  in  view  ; 
found  it  for  what  was  written  there.  The  passage  read 
is  found  in  our  Bibles  in  Is.  Ixi.  i,  2  ;  Iviii.  6,  quoted  freely 
by  Luke  from  the  Septuagint.  It  belongs  to  a  portion 
descriptive  of  the  person,  ofifice  and  work  of  the  Messiah. 
The  prophets  represented  God,  and  often  spoke  for  Him 
in  the  first  person.  What  is  here  quoted  was  not  the 
whole  of  the  passage  read,  which  custom  required  to  be 
longer,  but  the  part  which  Jesus  took  as  "  the  text  " 
upon  which  He  based  His  following  remarks.  The 
stringing  together  of  passages  from  different  parts  of  the 
Scriptures,  illustrative  of  each  other,  was  a  common 
custom  of  Jewish  teaching. 

18.  Anticipating  here  what  is  said  in  ver.  21,  let  us 
try  to  see  how  this  prophecy  of  Isaiah  was  fulfilled  in 
Him  who  that  day  commented  on  it  in  the  synagogue  at 
Nazareth.  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me"^  havincr 
descended  visibly  at  His  baptism  (Luke  iii.  22  ;  John  i.  32*) 


90  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [iv.  i8. 

and  abode  upon  Him,  in  the  power  of  which  Spirit  (ver.  14) 
He  now  was  preaching  in  the  cities  of  Gahlee.  Note 
that  afterwards  Jesus  breathed  on  His  disciples  and  said, 
"  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost  "  (John  xx.  22),  and  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  after  His  ascension,  fulfilled  His 
promise  of  another  Comforter  by  baptizing  the  infant 
church  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  fire.  Because  he 
anointed  me.  It  was  customary  to  appoint  prophets, 
priests  and  kings  to  their  respective  offices  by  anointing. 
"  Messiah,"  in  Hebrew,  and  "  Christ,"  in  Greek,  mean 
anointed :  Jesus  here  claims  to  be,  by  the  baptism  and 
abiding  of  the  Spirit  upon  Him,  the  Lord's  Anointed  (Ps. 
ii.  2  ;  xlv.  7  ;  Acts  iv.  27).  To  preach  good  tidings  to  (evan- 
gelize) the  poor.  Glad  tidings  to  those  in  need,  in  sorrow, 
in  want.  The  full,  the  rich,  have  already  their  consolation. 
The  gospel  comes  to  the  hungry  and  thirsty,  the  longing, 
the  unsatisfied  ;  it  blesses  "  the  poor  in  spirit  "  (Matt, 
V.  3);  it  calls  to  "  whosoever  will"  (Rev.  xxii.  17).  God 
hath  chosen  the  poor  of  this  world  rich  in  faith  (Jas.  ii. 
5) ;  but  not  many  wise  men  after  the  flesh,  not  many 
mighty,  not  many  noble  (i  Cor.  i.  26).  Jesus  pointed 
John  to  the  fact  that  "  to  the  poor  the  gospel  is  preached  " 
as  evidence  that  He  was  the  Messiah.  Even  so  Jesus 
received  sinners  and  ate  with  them,  to  the  disgust  of  the 
proud  Pharisees  ;  and  publicans  and  harlots,  centurions 
and  heathen  "  dogs"  heard  the  good  tidings  and  entered 
into  the  kingdom  of  God.  (Comp.  Ps.  xxxiv.  18  ;  Ii.  17  ; 
cxlvii.  3  ;  Is.  Ivii.  15;  i8;lxvi.  2,  and  Jesus' invitation, 
"Come  unto  Me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy-laden, 
and  I  will  give  you  rest !  ")  To  proclaim  release  to  the 
captives.  Not  Herod's  captives,  such  as  John  the 
Baptist  now  was,  in  the  prison  beyond  the  Dead  Sea,  but 
the  worse  captives  of  sin  and  Satan  ;  and  Jesus'  healing 
of  the  demoniacs  and  diseased  (Satan-bound,  Luke  xiii. 


IV.  18-20.]  CHAPTER  IV.  gi 

i6),  was  an  object  lesson  on  His  work  of  ransoming  the 
mind  and  soul  also.     Recovering  of  sight  to  the   blind. 

Literally,  in  many  instances,  illustrative  of  His  being  in  a 
higher,  spiritual  sense  "  the  light  of  the  world,"  "  the  true 
light  that  lighteth  every  man,"  "  the  day-spring  from  on 
high,"  "  the  sun  of  righteousness,"  the  revealer  of  the 
Father,  the  Way.  To  set  at  liberty,  let  go,  them  that 
are  bruised,  broken,  shattered,  oppressed.  The  Jewish 
teachers  of  that  day  bound  burdens,  grievous  to  be  borne, 
upon  men's  shoulders  (Matt,  xxiii.  4),  but  Jesus  invited 
the  heavy  laden  to  Him,  with  the  promise  of  rest  (Matt. 
xi.  28-30 ;  comp.  Is.  Iviii.  6). 

19.  To  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord,  the 
Lord's  year  of  acceptance  and  favor.  This  sums  up  the 
whole,  and  probably  alludes  to  the  Jews'  year  of  the 
Jubilee,  every  fiftieth  year,  when  slaves  were  set  free, 
debts  cancelled,  lands  restored,  and  joy  abounded.  So 
Jesus  proclaimed  the  year  of  grace  to  men.  This  is 
admirably  and  constantly  proclaimed  in  the  course  of  the 
Christian  Year,  whose  central  sun  and  regulating  principle 
is  Jesus  Christ.  Grace  and  truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ. 
It  is  noticeable  that  our  Lord  ended  His  quotation  at  this 
point,  not  going  on  to  "  the  day  of  vengeance  "  which 
immediately  followed  this  clause  in  Isaiah's  prophecy. 
Jesus'  second  coming  will  be  for  judgment  ;  His  first  was 
for  salvation.  "  Now  is  the  accepted  time  ;  this  is  the 
day  of  salvation."  Use  it,  improve  it  before  it  is  gone 
forever ! 

20.     And  he  closed  the  book,  and  gave  it  back  to  the  attendant,  and  sat 
down ;  and  the  eyes  of  all  in  the  synagogue  were  fastened  on  him. 

20.  Closed  the  book.  Rolled  up  the  scroll.  Gave  it 
back  to  the  attendant.  This  ofHcer  was  sexton  more 
than  anything  else.  5at  down.  All  sat,  commonly,  after 
the  Scripture  reading.     The  next  clause  we  can  readily 


92  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [i v.  20-22. 

conceive  ;  it  is  vivid — and  the  eyes  of  all  in  the  synagogue 
were  fastened,  in  fixed  gaze  and  expectancy,  on  him. 
What  an  interesting  moment  !  Perhaps  His  mother  and 
brothers  and  sisters  were  there  ;  and  former  playmates 
and  companions  ;  and  those  for  whom  He  had  worked  in 
Joseph's  shop,  "  He  came  unto  His  own  ;  "  will  they 
receive  Him  ? 

21.  And  he  began  to  say  unto  them,  To-day  hath  this  scripture  been 
fulfilled  in  your  ears. 

21.  How  much  we  would  like  to  have  Jesus'  sermon  ! 
But  Luke  simply  gives  us  the  theme  of  it — He  began  to 
say  unto  them,  To=day,  right  now,  in  your  ears,  your 
hearing,  hath  this  Scripture  been  fulfilled.  His  reading 
had  already  fulfilled  it.  But  what  did  He  go  on  to  say  ? 
We  are  not  told,  except  that  His  words  were  words  of 
grace  that  made  the  whole  congregation  wonder.  The 
living  Word  took  a  text  from  the  zvrittcn  zvord,  and 
preached  its  fulfilment.  Let  none  of  us  try  to  be  wise 
above  what  is  written,  or  give  heed  to  any  pretended 
preachers  that  do.  Jesus  here  clearly  claimed  to  be  the 
Messiah  :  and  presently  the  people's  wonder  gave  place 
to  anger  at  what  they  thought  presumption,  and  they 
rose  up  to  do  Him  violence.  "  His  own  received  Him 
not !  " 

22.  And  all  bear  him  witness,  and  wondered  at  the  words  of  grace  which 
proceeded  out  of  his  mouth  :  and  they  said.  Is  not  this  Joseph's  son  ? 

22.  They  said,  Is  not  this  Joseph's  son  ?     Who  is  His 

father  ?  Mark  says  they  recognized  Him  as  "  the 
carpenter."  His  words  in  the  synagogue  now  did  not 
seem  to  them  to  befit  Him,  and  seemed  to  place  Him  so 
above  them,  His  fellow-townsmen,  that  they  were  already 
a  good  deal  excited  by  jealousy  and  wrath. 

23.  24.     And  he  said  unto  them,  Doubtless  ye  will  say  unto  me  this  par- 


IV.  23,  24.]  CHAPTER  IV.  93 

able,  Physician,  heal  thyself  :  whatsoever  we  have  heard  done  at  Capernaum, 
do  also  here  in  thine  own  country.  And  he  said,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  No 
prophet  is  acceptable  in  his  own  country. 

23.  Observing  this  Jesus  anticipated  the  expression  of 
their  feelings  with,  Doubtless  ye  will  say,  etc.  In  the 
proverb  He  then  quotes,  suitably  to  His  works  hitherto 
and  to  the  purpose  of  His  coming  into  the  world,  refer- 
ring back  to  what  He  had  read  from  Isaiah  (vers.  18  and 
19),  He  calls  Himself  Physician.  The  application  of  the 
proverb  to  the  then  present  situation  is  given  in  the  latter 
part  of  ver,  23  ;  that  is.  Do  here  in  thine  own  country, 
Nazareth,  and  among  thine  own  acquaintances,  what  we 
have  heard  done  by  thee  at  Capernaum.  Jesus  had  been 
at  Capernaum  (see  vers.  14,  15  and  John  ii.  12),  and  its 
neighborhood,  previously  to  this,  and  probably  had  done 
many  works  not  recorded  in  our  Scriptures.  Why  go  off 
there  and  give  honor  to  others  ?  Do  something  in  and 
for  your  own  town.  Accredit  yourself  here.  Jesus  saw 
in  them  a  narrow,  self-serving  spirit,  not  such  as  is  open 
to  the  gospel. 

24.  Moreover,  well  understanding  fallen  human  nature, 
He  further  explained,  No  prophet  is  acceptable  in  his 
own  country.  He  came  to  His  own  knowing  this  (John 
iv.  44).  A  prophet  is  one  who  tells  forth  the  things  of 
God,  not  merely  one  who  foretells  future  events.  A 
prophet,  representative  of  God  among  men,  is  regarded 
as  against  men,  because  of  their  sins,  and  he  is  an  in- 
structor of  men  in  all  right  ways.  Jesus  declared,  and 
applied  to  Himself  and  them,  this  fact,  that  people  are 
not  apt  to  accept  one  from  right  among  them  in  this 
position.  This  proverb  cannot  be  applied  to  every 
position  of  distinction,  but  specially  to  a  prophet.  Jesus 
had  lived  among  these  people  about  thirty  years.  In  all 
that  time  He  "  emptied  himself "  (Phil.  ii.  6,  7)  of  the 


94  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [iv.  24-27. 

exercise  of  the  divine  attributes  that  belonged  to  Him 
and  was  "  found  in  fashion  as  a  man  "  Hke  those  about 
Him.  When  now  He  began  to  manifest  His  glory  as  the 
Son  of  God,  His  fellow-townspeople  were  offended  and 
yielded  to  their  evil  nature. 

25-27.  But  of  a  truth,  I  say  unto  you,  There  were  many  widows  in  Is- 
rael in  the  days  of  Elijah,  when  the  heaven  was  shut  up  three  years  and  six 
months,  when  there  came  a  great  famine  over  all  the  land;  and  unto  none 
of  them  was  Elijah  sent,  but  only  to  Zarephath,  in  the  land  of  Sidon,  unto 
a  woman  that  was  a  widow.  And  there  were  many  lepers  in  Israel  in  the 
time  of  Elisha  the  prophet :  and  none  of  them  was  cleansed,  but  only  Naa- 
man  the  Syrian. 

25-27.  They  were  thus  in  danger  of  forsaking  and  cut- 
ting off  their  own  mercies.  Therefore  Jesus  warned  them 
by  illustrations  from  their  ancestors,  Israel  of  old.  He 
recalled  former  prophets,  Elijah  and  Elisha,  great  proph- 
ets like  to  whom  the  Messiah  was  expected  to  be,  proph- 
ets who  did  such  things  as  were  spoken  of  (vers.  18  and 
19)  in  the  passage  from  Isaiah  on  which  Jesus  had  been 
commenting,  It  appears  that  though  there  were  widows 
in  Israel  and  lepers  in  Israel  in  those  days,  it  was  not 
these  who  got  the  benefit  of  the  saving,  healing  ministra- 
tions of  those  great  prophets,  but  a  woman  of  5idon  and 
Naaman  the  Syrian,  both  of  them  outside  of  Israel,  hea- 
then, who  are  recorded  as  the  beneficiaries  of  those  proph- 
ets' bounty  (i  Kings  xvii.  8-24;  2  Kings  v.  1-19).  The 
warning  from  these  illustrations  was.  Take  heed  lest  there 
be  also  in  you  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  in  consequence  of 
which  you  will  fail  to  receive  the  benefit  of  the  presence 
among  you  of  a  greater  than  Elijah  and  Elisha  !  Trust 
not  to  your  natural  birth  ;  rest  not  in  opportunities  which 
you  do  not  embrace !  Take  care  lest  the  kingdom  of 
God  be  taken  from  you  and  given  to  others  !  This  result 
Jesus  afterwards  declared  in  so  many  words.     (See  Matt. 


IV.  28-30.]  CHAPTER  IV.  95 

xxi.  43.)     Jesus'  warning   here  is  like  John  the  Baptist's, 
as  recorded  in  Matt.  iii.  9,  10. 

28,  29.  And  they  were  all  filled  with  wrath  in  the  synagogue,  as  they 
heard  these  things  ;  and  they  rose  up,  and  cast  him  forth  out  of  the  city, 
and  led  him  unto  the  brow  of  the  hill  whereon  their  city  was  built,  that  they 
might  throw  him  down  headlong. 

28,  29.  Here  is  proof  that  Jesus  read  their  hearts  aright. 
They  thought  much  of  themselves,  though  they  were 
from  despised  Nazareth  ;  they  were  not  willing  to  be 
thus  warned;  their  prejudices  left  little  room  for  judg- 
ment. They  were  all  filled  with  wrath,  there  in  the 
synagogue.  "  His  own  received  Him  not,"  but  cast  him 
forth  not  only  from  the  synagogue  but  out  of  the  city  (a 
small  thing  of  a  "city"  it  was),  and  not  content  with 
this,  led  him  to  the  brow  of  the  hill  near  by,  on  the 
slope  of  which  Nazareth  stood,  proposing  to  throw  him 
down  headlong,  the  only  cause  for  such  procedure  being 
their  ungoverned  anger  and  pride.  What  a  picture  is 
here  set  before  us  ! 

30.  But  he  passing  through  the  midst  of  them  went  his  way. 

30.  But  he,  having  suffered  their  rude  manners  thus 
far,  now  assuming  that  dignity  and  manner  which  be- 
longed to  Him,  but  which  He  mostly  laid  aside,  passing 
through  the  midst  of  them  in  conscious  power,  now  suf- 
ficiently manifested  in  His  person  as  to  restrain  them 
(comp.  John  xviii.  6,  and  Mark  x.  32),  went  his  way  un- 
molested further.  There  is  something  exceedingly  inter- 
esting in  this  restraining  and  awing  power  exercised  by 
Jesus,  by  the  simple  inherent  force  of  His  nature,  allowed 
to  manifest  itself.  How  will  He  impress  mankind  when 
"  every  eye  shall  see  Him  "  in  His  glory  ?  (Rev.  i.  7). 

31,  32.     And  he  came  down  to  Capernaum,  a  city  of  Galilee.     And  he 


96  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [iv.  31-33. 

was  teaching  them  on  the  sabbath  day :  and  they  were  astonished  at  his 
teaching ;  for  his  word  was  with  authority. 

31,  32.  Capernaum,  where  Jesus  so  far  fixed  His  resi- 
dence, that  it  was  called  "  his  own  city  "  (Matt.  ix.  i),  a 
wider  field,  a  place  where,  amid  plenty  of  unbelief,  there 
was  also  enough  faith  to  enable  Him  to  do  many  mighty 
works.  (Comp.  Mark  vi.  5,  6.)  Moreover  every  way 
whether  in  mighty  works  or  in  his  teaching,  his  word 
was  with  authority  unlike  anything  in  the  experience 
of  that  generation  or  within  the  memory  of  any  that  were 
living  (Mark  i.  22).  Capernaum  was  thus  "  exalted  to 
heaven ; "  but,  withal,  she  has  been  now  so  "  brought 
down  to  hell "  (Hades),  that  the  very  site  of  the  place  is 
unknown.  Even  Nazareth  more  fully  survives  the  rav- 
ages of  time.  There  is  plenty  of  warning  here  for  us. 
"  See  that  ye  refuse  not  him  that  speaketh." 

(See  Vol.  I.,  p.  383,  Excursus  H.  on  Demoniacs.) 

33,  34.  And  in  the  synagogue  there  was  a  man,  which  had  a  spirit  of  an 
unclean  devil;  and  he  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  Ah  !  what  have  we  to 
do  with  thee,  thou  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ?  art  thou  come  to  destroy  us  ?  I 
know  thee  who  thou  art,  the  Holy  One  of  God. 

33.  This  shows  that  the  synagogue,  like  our  churches, 
was  open  to  whoever  saw  fit  to  attend.  All  sorts  of  peo- 
ple are  found  in  the  church.  But  what  was  a  man  which 
had  a  spirit  of  an  unclean  devil  doing  in  the  house  of 
God  ?  Well,  in  Job  i.  6 ;  ii.  i,  we  are  told  that  Satan  him- 
self came  among  the  sons  of  God,  when  they  came  to  pre- 
sent themselves  before  the  Lord.  Whether  this  man 
came  by  his  own  will  or  by  the  will  of  the  devil  that  pos- 
sessed him,  we  do  not  know.  Enough  that  he  was  there. 
But  another  was  there  whose  presence  the  evil  spirit 
could  not  brook.  So,  using  the  organs  of  the  man  whom 
he  possessed,  the  devil  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  re- 


IV.  34,  35-]  CHAPTER  IV.  97 

gardless  of  all  propriety  and  decency,  and  perhaps  fright- 
ening many  of  the  people. 

34.  Ah  I  what  have  we  (speaking  for  all  his  kind)  to  do 
with  thee,  thou  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ?  What  is  there  in  com- 
mon between  us?  And,  what  now?  Art  thou  come  to 
destroy  us?  The  devils  evidently  know  their  destiny. 
Jesus  took  not  hold  of  angels  (Heb.  ii.  16,  Revision),  but 
of  the  seed  of  Abraham.  There  is  no  redemption  for  fallen 
spirits,  but  for  fallen  man  only.  The  devils  know  that. 
They  knew  Jesus  too,  as  man  did  not,  as  witness  this 
demon's  words,  I  know  thee  who  thou  art !  They  knew 
Him  too  as  more  than  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  even  as  the 
Holy  One  of  Qod,  that  promised  seed  of  the  woman  (Gen. 
iii.  15)  that  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head,  becoming 
the  second  Adam  to  restore  the  ruin  wrought  by  the  first 
and  cast  out  the  prince  of  this  world  from  his  ill-gained 
seat.  This  demon  knew  that  something  good  could  come, 
should  come,  out  of  Nazareth.  Had  Satan,  after  being 
vanquished  in  the  wilderness  of  the  temptation,  reported 
to  his  minions,  and  warned  them  of  this  Jesus?  Surely 
this  superior  knowledge  of  the  possessed  man  did  not 
come  from  idiocy  or  any  human  infirmity — such  causes 
do  not  produce  such  results — but  from  the  indwelling  of  a 
spirit  superior  in  knowledge,  who  speaks  sometimes  in 
the  singular,  from  personal  consciousness,  and  sometimes 
in  the  plural  from  a  consciousness  of  the  common  char- 
acter and  doom  that  belongs  to  the  fallen  angels.  (See 
Matt.  XXV.  41.) 

35.  And  Jesus  rebuked  him,  saying,  Hold  thy  peace,  and  come  out  of 
him.  And  when  the  devil  had  thrown  him  down  in  the  midst,  he  came  out 
of  him,  having  done  him  no  hurt. 

35.  Probably  all  in  the  synagogue  were  afraid,  as  no 
doubt  they  had  been  greatly  startled  by  the  man's  un- 
7 


gS  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [i v.  35-38. 

seemly  outcry.  But  Jesus,  with  composed  dignity  yet 
fervor,  spoke  to  the  unseen  spirit  rebukingly,  saying, 
Hold  thy  peace,  what  hast  thou  to  do  to  declare  (Ps.  1.  16) 
the  truth  of  God,  and  come  out  of  him.  So  Jesus,  as  He 
had  said  in  the  synagogue  at  Nazareth  He  was  sent  to 
do  (ver.  18),  proclaimed  release  to  the  captive.  Unwill- 
ingly,  and  not  before  he  had  thrown  him  down  in  the 
midst  whom  he  possessed,  but  of  necessity,  the  devil 
came  out  of  him,  and  the  bruised  was  set  at  liberty. 
It  was  only  consistent  with  the  presence  of  the  stronger 
than  he  that,  despite  his  ill-will,  the  devil  came  out  of  the 
man  without  having  in  his  going  done  him  any  hurt. 
Note  the  observations  of   the  pJiysician  (Luke)  narrator. 

36,  37.  And  amazement  came  upon  all,  and  they  spake  together,  one 
with  another,  saying,  What  is  this  word?  for  with  authority  and  power  he 
commandeth  the  unclean  spirits,  and  they  come  out.  And  there  went  forth 
a  rumour  concerning  him  into  every  place  in  the  region  round  about. 

36,  37.  We  can  readily  appreciate  what  these  verses 
say.  The  amazement  right  there  and  the  rumour  gone 
all  abroad  into  every  place  of  the  surrounding  region, 
were  altogether  natural  and  what  was  to  be  expected. 
The  people  who  witnessed  this  exorcism  were  right  too 
in  inquiring  into  the  authority  and  power  of  this  word, 
so  different  from  anything  they  had  ever  heard,  to  which 
the  unclean  spirits,  under  dreadful  stress,  yielded  so  com- 
pletely. Yes,  Jesus'  word,  what  a  power  is  it!  He 
speaks  and  it  is  done;  He  commands  and  it  stands  fast  as 
He  orders!  "  The  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they 
are  spirit  and  they  are  life." 

38,  39.  And  he  rose  up  from  the  synagogue,  and  entered  into  the  house 
of  Simon.  And  Simon's  wife's  mother  was  holden  with  a  great  fever;  and 
they  besought  him  for  her.  And  he  stood  over  her,  and  rebuked  the  fever ; 
and  it  left  her:  and  immediately  she  rose  up  and  ministered  unto  them. 

38.  Into   the    house   of   5imon    Jesus   went  from  the 


IV.  38,  39]  CHAPTER  IV.  g^ 

synagogue.     Simon   and    Andrew   were    originally    from 
Bethsaida,  north  of  the  sea  of  Galilee  ;  but  they  seem  to 
have  removed  to  the  larger  city,  Capernaum.     Whilst  we 
are  told  that  Jesus  some  considerable  time  before  this  had 
made  Capernaum  His  home  to  such  an  extent  that  it  was 
called  "  His  own  city,"  we  are  not  told  with  whom  there 
He  was  accustomed  to  sojourn.     Perhaps  it  was  at  Simon's 
house  :    and,   if   so,   these   brethren    are    already   getting 
repaid  for  leaving  all  and  following    Him,  by  having  the 
blessed  Lord  Jesus  as  their  guest  !     Ah,  this  made  heaven 
in  that  home  !     But   sin  with   its  consequences  had  been 
there  too,  and  Simon's  wife's  mother  was  now  sick.     A 
great  fever  ailed  her,   the  physician   Luke    says.     That 
was  a  malarial  district,  and    fever   was  common.     Jesus 
never  was  sick.     His  nature  was  like  Adam's  before  the 
Fall.     It   was   sin    that    opened    the    door    for    sickness, 
sorrow  and  death.     Jesus  was   one   of  us,    "  yet  without 
sin  "  and  its  natural  effects.     But  Jesus  could  sympathize 
with  all  human  sorrows,  and  now  they  besought  him  for 
her  that  was  sick.     Could  not,  and  would  not,  He  that 
had  healed  the  nobleman's  son  (John  iv.  46-54),  and  cast 
out  the  unclean  spirit,  cure  this  woman  too  ? 

39.  Yes,  and  now,  among  the  household  and  others  who 
stood  about  her  bed,  Jesus  stood  over  her,  the  Great 
Physician,  considering  her  case.  He  gave  her  no  medicine, 
but,  with  that  same  wonderful  word  of  authority  which 
He  had  used  awhile  before  to  the  unclean  spirit  in  the 
synagogue,  He  rebuked  the  fever.  And  with  what 
result  ?  It  left  her,  and  it  did  not  leave  her  weak,  as 
fevers  usually  do  ;  but  immediately  she  rose  up  and 
ministered  unto  them,  at  once  restored  to  her  position 
of  helpful  usefulness  in  that  household  !  Wonderful 
guest,  what  a  privilege  to  minister  to  Him  !  Gracious 
presence  before  which  the  effects  of  sin  fade  away ! 


lOO  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [iv.  40,  41. 

40.  And  when  the  sun  was  setting,  all  they  that  had  any  sick  with  divers 
diseases,  brought  them  unto  him  •  and  he  laid  his  hands  on  every  one  of 
them,  and  healed  them. 

40.  They  waited  till  the  sun  was  setting  because  it  was 
the  Sabbath  day,  when  by  Jewish  law  no  one  was  allowed 
to  carry  a  burden.  But,  as  the  day  closed  with  sunset, 
now  there  was  a  great  stir  in  the  city  where  there  were 
any  sick  persons.  These,  whatever  their  diseases,  their 
friends  brought  to  this  wonderful  Physician.  Nor  were 
they  disappointed,  for  he  laid  his  hands  on  every  one  of 
them,  a  gesture  or  posture  He  sometimes  used,  expressive 
in  itself  and  suited  to  impress  the  recipients  of  His  bless- 
ings with  a  sense  of  their  source,  and  healed  them  in 
every  instance. 

41.  And  devils  also  came  out  from  many,  crying  out,  and  saying.  Thou 
art  the  Son  of  God.  And  rebuking  them,  he  suffered  them  not  to  speak, 
because  they  knew  that  he  was  the  Christ. 

41.  Here  again  demoniacal  possession  is  clearly  dis- 
tinguished from  disease.  Devils  also  came  out  of  many. 
The  case  in  the  synagogue,  that  morning,  was  a  fine 
advertisement  to  all  such  captives  to  come  and  be 
delivered,  and  to  these  besieged  ones  to  come  and  be  set 
at  liberty  (Luke  iv.  18).  Thou  art  the  Son  of  God,  the 
devils  cried,  for  they  knew  that  he  was  the  Christ.  See 
on  vers.  33  and  34,  above.  It  is  an  interesting  question 
how  much  angelic  spirits,  good  or  bad,  know  about  our 
earth  and  the  things  that  are  going  on  upon  it.  Out- 
spoken as  the  devils  were  disposed  to  be,  and  though 
what  they  said  was  true,  Jesus  suffered  them  not  to 
speak.  He  neither  wanted  such  testimony,  nor  wanted 
men  to  look  for  or  depend  on  such  testimony.  There 
was  other  and  sufificient  evidence  for  faith.  Stier  says, 
"  The  devils  malignantly  and  maliciously,  with  all  fear, 


IV.  4I-43-]  CHAPTER  IV.  lOl 

anticipate  the  plan  of  His  life  with  a  view  to  perplex  Him 
in  regard  to  it,  and  to  prepare  for  Him  (Mark  iii.  ii) 
scandal  and  suspicion.  Therefore,  as  the  Master,  He  does 
exactly  what  (Acts  xvi.  16-18)  His  apostle  afterwards  did ; 
and  what,  unfortunately,  His  disciples  nowadays  often 
fail  to  do  when  they  do  not  reject,  with  sufficient  decision, 
any  testimony  given  from  hell  in  their  favor." 

42,  43.  And  when  it  was  day,  he  came  out  and  went  into  a  desert  place : 
and  the  multitudes  sought  after  him,  and  came  unto  him,  and  would  have 
stayed  him,  that  he  should  not  go  from  them.  But  he  said  unto  them,  I 
must  preach  the  good  tidings  of  the  kingdom  of  God  to  the  other  cities 
also  :  for  therefore  was  I  sent. 

42.  That  Sabbath  had  been  a  very  busy  day  with 
Jesus,  and  His  human  powers  must  have  been  severely 
taxed.  It  is  the  day  chosen  by  Delitzsch  as  the  basis  of 
his  interesting  book,  "A  Day  in  Capernaum."  Much  as 
Jesus  needed  and  enjoyed  that  night's  sleep,  as  soon  as 
it  was  day,  Mark  (i.  35)  says,  "  While  it  was  yet  night," 
He  left  His  bed  and  went  into  a  desert  place,  where,  un- 
disturbed by  the  throng  (which  soon  gathered  again  at 
Peter's  house,  next  morning).  He  might  pray.  Even 
Jesus  found  it  good  to  go  and  be  alone  in  prayer  to  God  ! 
Wondering  and  wanting,  the  multitudes  sought  after 
him,  and,  when  Peter  had  found  Him  in  the  desert  place, 
came  unto  him  and  would  have  stayed  him  from  going 
from  them.  But,  as  Stier  says,  "  He  who  commanded 
the  devils  to  be  silent,  will  by  no  means  suffer  Himself  to 
be  lauded  with  turbulence  even  by  men,  as  a  mere  worker 
of  miracles ;  when  matters  are  taking  this  turn  He  goes 
away,  as  He  does  everywhere  else  in  similar  circumstances." 

43.  I  must  preach,  said  He,  and  to  the  other  cities 
also.  "  Miracles  were  wrought  only  to  introduce  and 
confirm  the  word  ;  never  in  such  numbers  as  the  people 
desired  ;  but  always  to  such  an  extent  only  as  was  good 


I02  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [iv.  43,  44. 

for  directing  them  to  that  work,  which  He  was  always 
commencing  afresh  as  His  proper  work,  the  preaching 
of  the  word  "  (Stier).  For  therefore  was  I  sent,  and 
therefore  He  came,  the  Messenger  of  the  covenant,  the 
Herald  of  good  tidings  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Is  there 
any  grander  work  among  mer  whether  we  consider  the 
end  or  the  great  Example  ! 

44.     And  he  was  preaching  in  the  synagogues  of  Galilee. 

44.  "  As  my  Father  hath  sent  Me,  even  so  send  I  you," 
is  Jesus' word  to  His  disciples:  only,  whilst  Jesus' own 
ministry  was,  according  to  the  divine  plan,  confined  to 
the  land  of  Israel,  our  ministry,  by  the  Lord's  own  great 
commission  (Matt,  xxviii.  19),  is  to  "  all  the  nations,"  even 
"  to  every  creature  "  (Markxvi.  15  ;  comp.  Acts  i.  8,  etc.). 
Jesus  preaching  throughout  the  synagogues  of  Galilee, 
and  of  Judaea  too,  is  an  affecting  picture  of  the  divine 
condescension  and  love,  and  a  winning  example  to  faith- 
ful though  poorly  appreciated  labor  on  the  part  of  all 
Christian  ministers  and  teachers.  According  to  the 
harmonists  this  verse  refers  to  the  first  of  three  preaching 
tours  of  Jesus  throughout  Galilee,  this  first  one  centering, 
probably,  more  closely  than  the  others,  about  Capernaum. 


CHAPTER  V. 

I,  2.  Now  it  came  to  pass,  while  the  multitude  pressed  upon  him  and 
heard  the  word  of  God,  that  he  was  standing  by  the  lake  Gennesaret;  and 
he  saw  two  boats  standing  by  the  lake  :  but  the  fishermen  had  gone  out  of 
them,  and  were  washing  their  nets. 

I.  Now  it  came  to  pass.  This  is  a  frequent  way  of 
introducing  something  new  without  giving  any  indication 
of  the  time  of  the  occurrence.     The  multitude  pressed 

upon  him.  He  had  become  famous  for  both  His  won- 
drous teachings  and  His  wondrous  works,  and  people 
got  together  then  as  now,  and  crowded  about  this 
wondrous  person.  Whatever  feehngsof  envy  or  jealousy 
may  have  begun  to  possess  the  leaders  among  the 
Jewish  people,  "  the  common  people  heard  him  gladly." 
And  heard  the  word  of  God,  They  came  to  hear  and 
see.  Luke,  the  narrator,  calls  His  teachings  "  the  word 
of  God,"  a  truth  which  the  people  had  not  yet  really 
perceived  or  acknowledged.  By  the  lake  of  Qen= 
nesaret,  and  probably  but  a  short  distance  out  of  the 
city,  Capernaum,  which  lay  on  its  northwest  shore.  This 
body  of  water  is  oval  shaped,  thirteen  miles  long  and  six 
broad,  at  its  extreme  measurements.  Its  waters  were 
deep  and  abounding  in  fish.  It  is  about  seven  hundred 
feet  below  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  its  eastern  and  western 
banks  rise  steep,  bare  and  rugged,  to  the  height  of  two 
thousand  feet.  The  Jordan  enters  it  at  the  north  point 
and  leaves  it  at  the  south.  It  was  called  as  above  and 
also  "  The  Lake  (or  Sea)  of  Tiberias,"  and  "  The  Sea  of 

103 


I04  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [v.  1-3. 

Galilee,"   these  names  being  taken  from  the  district  in 
which  it  lies,  and  from  cities  on  its  western  bank, 

2.  Two  boats.  Josephus  says  there  were  230  of  these 
on  Gennesaret's  waters.  At  the  present  time  there  is 
scarcely  one.  In  our  Lord's  day  all  was  life  and  bustle 
along  the  shores  of  this  sea  ;  the  cities  and  villages  that 
thickly  studded  them  resounded  with  the  hum  of  a  busy 
population,  while  from  hillside  and  grain-field  came  the 
cheerful  cry  of  shepherd  and  ploughman.  To-day  a 
mournful  and  solitary  silence  reigns  alike  over  sea  and 
shore. 

Gone  out  of  them,  and  were  washing  their  nets.  It 
was  morning,  and  they  were  getting  ready  to  go  home, 
putting  the  tackle  in  order,  after  a  night's  fruitless  effort. 

3.  And  he  entered  into  one  of  the  boats,  which  was  Simon's,  and  asked 
him  to  put  out  a  little  from  the  land.  And  he  sat  down  and  taught  the 
multitudes  out  of  the  boat. 

3.  Which  was  Simon's.  In  John  i.  35-42  we  have  an 
account  of  Simon's  first  acquaintance  with  Jesus,  brought 
to  him  by  his  brother  Andrew,  and  then  surnamed  by 
Him  Cephas  (Aramaic)  or  Peter  (Greek),  names  signify- 
ing the  same  thing.  He  was  the  son  of  Jonas  or  John, 
was  a  married  man,  originally  from  Bethsaida,  but  prob- 
ably now  living  in  Capernaum,  wlicre  he  got  his  wife. 
Up  to  this  time  he  had  not  quit  his  business  as  a  fisher- 
man. Asked  him,  as  owner  of  the  ship,  to  put  out  a 
little  from  the  land.  So  that  He  could  see  the  people 
and  they  Him,  and  yet  He  be  free  from  the  pressure  of 
the  crowd.  Here,  as  in  the  synagogue,  he  sat  down, 
taking  the  usual  posture  of  a  teacher.  Taught  the  mul= 
titudes  out  of  the  boat.  He  always  was  ready  to  satisfy 
the  longing  soul,  to  do  good,  and  instruct  the  multitudes. 

4.  And  when  he  had  left  speaking,  he  said  unto  Simon,  Put  out  into  the 
deep,  and  let  down  your  nets  for  a  draught. 


V.  4-6.]  CHAPTER  V.  105 

4.  When  he  had  left  speaking.  For,  though  He  had 
the  words  of  eternal  hfe,  there  was  a  time  for  Him  to 
leave  off  speaking,  and  He  knew  when  it  was.  He  said 
unto  Simon.  Simon  figures  most  conspicuously  here,  as 
indeed  he  always  does  when  present.  This  arises,  prob- 
ably, both  from  his  earnest,  impulsive  nature,  and  from 
the  fact  that  he  was  in  preparation  to  become  one  of  the 
most  diligent  and  effective  preachers  of  Christ.  Put  out 
into  the  deep  water,  further  from  shore,  and  let  down 
your  nets,  that  you  have  just  been  preparing  to  lay  by 
for  some  more  propitious  time,  for  a  draught,  for  a  haul 
of  fish. 

5.  And  Simon  answered  and  said,  Master,  we  toiled  all  night,  and  took 
nothing  :  but  at  thy  word  I  will  let  down  the  nets. 

5.  Simon,  answering,  called  Him  Master.  The  original 
word  is  not  Rabbi,  but  a  Greek  word  found  in  the  N.  T. 
only  in  Luke.  It  signifies  one  who  stands  to  another  as 
chief,  superintendent.  It  is  a  term  of  respect.  Simon 
evidently  revered  Jesus  very  highly.  He  was  discour- 
aged over  ill-success  ;  we  toiled  all  night,  the  best  time 
for  such  fishing,  and  took  nothing.  There  was  no  ordi- 
nary or  natural  prospect,  then,  that  another  throw  of  the 
net  would  be  successful.  All  signs  were  against  it  ;  but 
Peter  did  not  hesitate  or  grumblingly  or  slowly  go  about 
doing  as  Jesus  bade,  but,  showing  how  highly  he  regarded 
the  Great  Teacher,  said,  as  he  guided  the  boat  out  into 
the  deep,  but  at  thy  word  I  will  let  down  the  nets. 
The  act  was  simply  in  deference  to  Jesus'  bidding.  This 
shows  the  regard  in  which  Simon  held  Him. 

6.  7.  And  when  they  had  this  done,  they  had  inclosed  a  great  multitude 
of  fishes  :  and  their  nets  were  breaking ;  and  they  beckoned  unto  their 
partners  in  the  other  boat,  that  they  should  come  and  help  them.  And 
they  came  and  filled  both  the  boats,  so  that  they  began  to  sink. 

6.  They  inclosed  a  great  multitude  of  fishes.     The  net 


Io6  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [v.  6-8. 

was  heavy  with  them,  and  they  could  see  them  disporting 
in  the  water,  and  by  the  pressure  their  nets  were  break= 
ing  or  began  to  break  (as  we  may  render  the  word) ;  they 
could  feel  the  meshes  giving  way !  What  excitement 
they  must  have  been  in  !  A  whole  night  without  a  fish, 
and  now  such  a  haul !  They  had  never  seen  anything 
like  it !  And  now  there  is  danger  of  losing  them,  after 
all;  the  net  proves  too  weak!  Even  such  of  us  as,  with 
hook  and  line,  have  after  long  waiting  felt  a  good-sized 
fish  tugging  at  the  bait  and  got  the  prize  above  water  far 
enough  to  admire  its  size  and  beauty,  only  to  see  it  drop 
off  and  escape,  can  enter  somewhat  into  the  feelings  and 
excitement  of  this  boat's  crew  with  their  unmanageable 
catch  of  fish. 

7.  But  help  was  near,  and  they  beckoned  to  their  part= 
ners,  those  who  had  been  fishing  with  them,  in  the  other 
boat  (ver.  2),  near  the  shore,  to  come  and  help  them,  to 
let  down  their  nets  around  the  breaking  ones  and  save 
the  haul.  They  came,  of  course,  delighted  at  the  unex- 
pected success,  and  the  prize  was  secured  and  filled  both 
the  boats,  in  its  abundance,  so  full  that  they  even  began 
to  sink,  loaded  down  to  the  water's  edge.  We  may  toil 
all  the  night  without  Jesus  and  take  nothing  ;  but  when 
obeying  His  clear  word  we  shall  prosper. 

8,  9.  But  Simon  Peter,  when  he  saw  it,  fell  down  at  Jesus'  knees,  say- 
ing, Depart  from  me  ;  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  O  Lord.  For  he  was  amazed, 
and  all  that  were  with  him,  at  the  draught  of  fishes  which  they  had  taken. 

8.  When  Simon  Peter  saw  it,  took  in  the  whole  situa- 
tion, after  the  first  excitement  of  making  and  saving  the 
great  haul  of  fish,  he  was  overwhelmed  with  a  sense  of 
his  own  littleness  and  Jesus'  greatness.  (Comp.  Is.  vi.  5  ; 
Dan.  X.  16,  17.)  "Understanding  and  heart,"  says  Van 
OOSTERZEE,  "  were  constrained  to  bow  themselves  before 


V.  8-10.]  CHAPTER  V.  107 

a  present  majesty."  So  he  fell  down  at  Jesus'  knees, 
saying,  Depart  from  me.  Not  that  he  really  wanted  th  e 
Lord  to  leave  him  ;  but  in  this  way,  impetuous  man  that 
he  was  in  both  his  feelings  and  his  utterances,  "  as  one  in 
ecstasy  or  transport,  that  knew  not  where  he  was  or  what 
he  said  "  (Henry),  he  sought  to  express  his  unutterable 
sense  of  awe  in  view  of  Jesus*  work  and  presence.  For  I 
am  a  sinful  man,  O  Lord.  Unworthy  of  such  a  presence. 
How  can  I  stand  before  thee?  What  am  I,  that  thou 
art  mindful  of  me !  "  Lord  "  is  a  term  of  greater  rever- 
ence than  "  Master"  (ver.  5).  Peter  associates  the  power 
Jesus  exhibited  with  holiness,  and  his  own  weakness  with 
sinfulness,  and  herein  he  understood  the  fitness  of  things. 
(Comp.  his  words  in  Acts  iii.  12.) 

g.  All  that  were  with  him  in  his  boat,  among  whom 
was  his  brother  Andrew  (Matt.  iv.  18  ;  Mark  i.  16) — how 
many  more  we  are  not  told — were  amazed  at  the  draught 
of  the  fishes.  They  were  experienced  fishermen,  and, 
especially  after  the  previous  night's  failure,  they  felt  there 
was  something  extraordinary  and  marvellous  here.  Jesus 
is  set  before  us  in  this  narrative  both  as  divine  in  His 
knowledge  and  power,  and  as  the  ideal  man  described  in 
Psalm  viii.  under  whose  feet  "  the  fish  of  the  sea,"  as  well 
as  other  creatures,  are  put. 

10.  And  so  were  also  James  and  John,  sons  of  Zebedee,  which  were 
partners  with  Simon.  And  Jesus  said  unto  Simon,  Fear  not ;  from  hence- 
forth thou  shalt  catch  men. 

10.  James  and  John  were  brothers,  sons  of  Zebedee, 

and  Salome,  the  sister  of  Jesus'  mother.  (Comp.  Mark  xv. 
40,  and  John  xix.  25.)  They  were,  therefore,  cousins  of 
Jesus.  He  afterward  took  them,  with  Peter  and  Andrew, 
into  the  number  of  the  twelve,  and  surnamed  them  Boa- 
nerges, or  sons  of  thunder.     Along  with  Peter  they  be- 


loS  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [v.  lo,  ii. 

came  the  Lord's  inner  circle,  with  whom  He  was  most 
intimate. 

Fear  not.  How  often  heaven  says  that  to  trembhng 
men,  whilst  others,  self-sufficient,  impenitent,  careless, 
are  bidden  to  fear  and  tremble  !  Jesus  understood  Peter's 
feelings  and  condition,  and  sought  to  reassure  him.  He 
knew  Peter  did  not  mean  that  Jesus  should  desert  him. 
The  Lord  answered  the  spirit  and  true  intent  of  the  awed 
and  humbled  man's  prayer.  From  henceforth  thou  shall 
catch  men.  \\\  Mark  i.  17,  20,  we  learn  that  this  call  and 
promise  was  given  also  to  the  other  three.  From  fisher- 
men they  were  to  become  fishers  of  men.  From  this  time 
they  were  to  abandon  their  previous  occupation  and  fol- 
low Jesus'  steps  as  well  as  His  teachings.  This  was  their 
second  call ;  and  the  third  one  was  that  which  chose  them 
to  be  of  the  number  of  the  twelve  Apostles.  "Catch" 
signifies  to  take  alive,  and  the  periphrastic  form,  "  be 
catching,"  is  used,  to  signify  that  this  was  to  be  his  con- 
tinuous calling,  his  business.  The  letters  of  the  Greek 
word  for  fish — ^lyOu^ — form  the  initials  of  the  Greek  word 
that  signify,  "Jesus  Christ,  Son  of  God,  Saviour;"  and 
in  the  Catacombs  and  among  the  early  Christians  the 
figure  of  a  fish  was  a  symbol  of  the  Christian  faith. 

II.     And  when   they  had  brought  their  boats  to  land,  they  left  all,  and 
followed  him. 

II.  They  left  all.  It  was  their  all,  too,  however  little 
the  boats  and  nets  and  fish  may  have  been  worth  in 
themselves.  They  left  their  business,  their  tools,  their 
associations,  and  all.  When  we  "  forsake  all  "  for  Christ, 
we  get  "more  than  all"  in  Him.  And  followed  him. 
Going  with  Him  in  His  preaching  tours,  continuing  in 
His  company.  From  this  time  dates  their  external  and 
constant  attendance  upon  Jesus. 


V.  ii-i6.]  CHAPTER   V.  I09 

The  draught  of  fishes,  here  recounted,  occurred,  ap- 
parently, soon  after  Jesus'  rejection  at  Nazareth  and 
going  to  Capernaum,  and  is  distinct  from  a  very  similar 
occurrence  that  took  place  after  His  resurrection.  The 
repetition  of  the  miracle  after  our  Lord's  resurrection,  as 
recorded  by  John  (xxi.  1-14),  seems  to  have  been  espe- 
cially for  Peter's  reassurance,  and  occurred  in  connection 
with  his  restoration  from  his  fall.  Both  miracles  are  cal- 
culated to  teach  Christian  workers  their  entire  depend- 
ence on  the  Lord. 

12-16.  And  it  came  to  pass,  while  he  was  in  one  of  the  cities,  behold,  a 
man  full  of  leprosy  :  and  when  he  saw  Jesus,  he  fell  on  his  face,  and  be- 
sought him,  saying.  Lord,  If  thou  wilt,  thou  canst  make  me  clean.  And 
he  stretched  forth  his  hand,  and  touched  him,  saying,  I  will ;  be  thou  made 
clean.  And  straightway  the  leprosy  departed  from  him.  And  he  charged 
him  to  tell  no  man  :  but  go  thy  way,  and  shew  thyself  to  the  priest,  and  of- 
fer for  thy  cleansing,  according  as  Moses  commanded,  for  a  testimony 
unto  them.  But  so  much  the  more  went  abroad  the  report  concerning  him  : 
and  great  multitudes  came  together  to  hear,  and  to  be  healed  of  their  in- 
firmities.    But  he  withdrew  himself  in  the  deserts,  and  prayed. 

(See  on  Matt.  viii.  2-4 ;  Mark  i.  40-45.)  Matthew  gives 
this  occurrence  directly  after  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount. 
None  of  them  marks  exactly  the  time  or  place  of  it. 

12.  Luke  says  it  was  in  one  of  the  cities  and  that  the 
man  was  full  of  leprosy  and  that  he  fell  on  his  face  and 
besought  him. 

15.  Luke  refers  to  the  widespread  and  abounding  re= 
port  that  spread  abroad,  without  noting  the  man's  own 
agency  in  this,  and  the  great  multitudes  that  were 
gathering  to  hear  and  to  be  healed. 

16.  But  he,  Jesus,  by  contrast,  withdrew,  was  with- 
drawing, himself,  so  as  to  be  in  the  deserts  of  the  neigh- 
borhood, and  prayed.  For  this  He  withdrew.  Herein 
Jesus  is  an  example  to  all.     All  men  of  spiritual  power 


no  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [v.  i6,  17. 

are  men  of  prayer,  and  they  are  the  former  because  they 
are  the  latter. 

17-26.  And  it  came  to  pass  on  one  of  those  days,  that  he  was  teaching; 
and  there  were  Pharisees  and  doctors  of  the  law  sitting  by,  which  were 
come  out  of  every  village  of  Galilee  and  Judaea  and  Jerusalem  :  and  the 
power  of  the  Lord  was  with  him  to  heal.  And  behold,  men  bring  on  a  bed 
a  man  that  was  palsied:  and  they  sought  to  bring  him  in,  and  to  lay  him 
before  him.  And  not  finding  by  what  way  they  might  bring  him  in  be- 
cause of  the  multitude,  they  went  up  to  the  housetop,  and  let  him  down 
through  the  tiles  with  his  couch  into  the  midst  before  Jesus.  And  seeing 
their  faith,  he  said,  Man,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee.  And  the  scribes  and 
the  Pharisees  began  to  reason,  saying,  Who  is  this  that  speaketh  blasphe- 
mies ?  Who  can  forgive  sins,  but  God  alone  ?  But  Jesus  perceiving  their 
reasonings,  answered  and  said  unto  them,  What  reason  ye  in  your  hearts  ? 
Whether  is  easier,  to  say,  Thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee ;  or  to  say,  Arise  and 
walk  "i  But  that  ye  may  know  that  the  Son  of  man  hath  power  on  earth  to 
forgive  sins  (he  said  unto  him  that  was  palsied),  I  say  unto  thee.  Arise,  and 
take  up  thy  couch,  and  go  unto  thy  house.  And  immediately  he  rose  up 
before  them,  and  took  up  that  whereon  he  lay,  and  departed  to  his  house, 
glorifying  God.  And  amazement  took  hold  on  all,  and  they  glorified  God; 
and  they  were  filled  with  fear,  saying.  We  have  seen  strange  things  to-day. 

See  Matt.  ix.  1-8  ;  Mark  ii.  1-12,  the  former  giving  a 
briefer  account,  the  latter  one  fully  parallel  with  Luke's. 
It  was  at  Capernaum.  Jesus  had  but  lately  returned 
from  a  tour  with  His  disciples  through  Galilee. 

17.  The  time  is  very  generally  stated  as  one  of  those 
days  of  Jesus'  ministry.  He  was  teaching.  This  was 
His  great  vocation  until  His  hour  of  sacrifice  would 
come.  The  audience  at  this  time  was  both  distinguished 
and  critical.  There  were  Pharisees  and  doctors  of  the 
law  (Scribes,  the  professional  lawyers  of  Judaism,)  sit= 
ting  by  and  taking  careful  note  of  everything  said  or 
done  by  this  wonderful  Jesus,  against  whom  their  envy 
and  ill-will  had  already  risen.  Galilee,  Judasa,  and  Jeru= 
salem  \\'ere  all  represented  there.  And  the  power  of 
the  Lord  (Jehovah)  was  with  him  to  heal.     The    idea 


V.  I7-25-]  CHAPTER   V.  Ill 

seems  to  be  that  the  Almighty  was  disposed  at  that 
time  to  manifest  His  heahng  power,  through  His  Son 
Jesus,  upon  such  sick  folk  as  were  brought  to  Him. 
Jesus'  teaching  was  continually  getting  confirmation  from 
Yiisworks  of  power.  This  was  the  chief  purpose  of  these 
works  of  healing;  they  were  in  illustration  and  type  of 
the  greater  healing  of  the  soul,  and  of  the  ransom,  at 
last,  of  both  body  and  soul  from   the  evil  effects  of  sin. 

19.  Into  the  midst  of  the  crowd,  before  Jesus.  Best 
of  all  places  for  the  needy  to  be !  A  place  to  be  persist- 
ently sought,  whatever  may  oppose  ! 

True  faith  and  great  love  break  through  great  obstacles. 
This  man's  friends  were  friends  indeed.  How  precious 
are  such  friends  !  Have  you  none  whom  you  love  that 
you  can  and  will  by  all  means  bring  to  Jesus  ? 

The  paralytic  is  a  type  of  every  sinner.  He  is  helpless 
before  God  :  he  cannot  help  himself  and  his  friends  can- 
not help  him  :  all  they  can  do  is  to  bring  him  to  Jesus. 
They  can  do  that.  But  even  here  Jesus  must  first  come 
within  reach.  God  makes  the  first  move  to  save.  These 
carried  their  friend  to  Jesus  with  their  hands.  You  can, 
indeed,  bring  sinners  to  God's  house,  and  to  hear  His 
word,  and  you  can  bring  them  still  nearer  by  your  prayers. 
These  men  let  the  paralytic  down  with  the  arms  of  their 
physical  strength :  you  can  lift  your  friend  up  to  Jesus 
with  the  arms  of  your  faith. 

25.  And  immediately.  As  "in  the  beginning"  the 
Word  "  spake  and  it  was  done,"  so  now  "  He  commanded 
and  it  stood  fast  "  (Ps.  xxxiii.  9).  He — who  had  been 
carried  of  four,  a  helpless  paralytic,  whose  condition  was 
evident  to  all — rose  up  before  them — an  open  miracle, 
the  fact  of  which  nobody  disputed.  Not  merely  strength 
to  walk  was  given  him,  but  such  complete  and  instanta- 
neous restoration  that  he  took  up  that  whereon  he  lay, 


112  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [v.  25-28. 

and  departed,   carrying  it,  to  his  house,  glorifying  God, 

That  this  man  obeyed  Jesus'  word  bidding  him  to  do 
what  naturally  he  could  not,  was  evidence  of  his  faith. 
And  that  he  was  now  able  to  do  what  of  himself  he 
never  could  have  done,  illustrates  the  important  truth 
that  Jesus'  word  of  command  is  accompanied  by  power 
given  to  obey.  We  are  spiritually  all  in  as  bad  condition 
as  this  paralytic  was  physically — that  is,  impotent.  But 
God's  word  of  prevenient  grace  comes  to  us,  and,  bid- 
ding us  rise  from  our  lost  condition  and  walk  with  God, 
enables  us  so  to  do.  "  By  grace  are  ye  saved  through 
faith  ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves ;  it  is  the  gift  of  God  " 
(Eph.  ii.  8). 

Amazement  {ecstasy  is  the  English  word  derived  from 
the  Greek  of  the  original)  took  hold  on  all,  and  they 
glorified  God,  and  were  filled  with  fear.  Wonder,  grat- 
itude, and  fear.  These  emotions  Matthew  ascribes  to 
"  the  multitudes  :  "  suspicion,  envy  and  malignity,  we  have 
reason  to  believe,  were  mingled  with  the  feelings  of  the 
representatives  of  the  hierarchy  there.  Strange  things 
to=day.  We  can  explain  them  as  they  could  not,  having 
had  cumulative  evidences,  coming  down  the  centuries, 
that  this  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God. 

27,  28.  And  after  these  things  he  went  forth,  and  beheld  a  publican, 
named  Levi,  sitting  at  the  place  of  toll,  and  said  unto  him,  Follow  me. 
And  he  forsook  all,  and  rose  up  and  followed  him. 

See  Matt.  ix.  9;  Mark  ii.  13,  14. 

The  man  who  was  here  called  to  follow  Jesus  was  after- 
wards made  one  of  the  Twelve,  and  became  the  writer  of 
the  gospel  history  that  bears  his  name. 

Having  introduced  Matthew,  it  suited  the  narrator  to 
at  once  tell  about  a  feast  the  latter  gave  Jesus,  though  it 
probably  occurred  later  in  the  history. 


V.  29-32.]  CHARTEP  V.  113 

29-35.  And  Levi  made  him  a  great  feast  in  his  house  :  and  there  was  a 
great  multitude  of  publicans  and  of  others  that  were  sitting  at  meat  with 
them.  And  the  Pharisees  and  their  scribes  murmured  against  his  disciples, 
saying,  Why  do  ye  eat  and  drink  with  the  publicans  and  sinners  ?  And 
Jesus  answering  said  unto  them.  They  that  are  whole  have  no  need  of  a 
physician ;  but  they  that  are  sick.  I  am  not  come  to  call  the  righteous  but 
sinners  to  repentance.  And  they  said  unto  him.  The  disciples  of  John  fast 
often,  and  make  supplications  ;  likewise  also  the  disciples  of  the  Pharisees  ; 
but  thine  eat  and  drink.  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Can  ye  make  the  sons 
of  the  bride-chamber  fast,  while  the  bridegroom  is  with  them  ?  But  the 
days  will  come  ;  and  when  the  bridegroom  shall  be  taken  away  from  them, 
then  will  they  fast  in  those  days. 

See  Matt.  ix.  10-15  ;  Mark  ii.  15-20. 

29.  Luke  says  it  was  a  great  feast  that  Levi  made  for 
Jesus  :  and  that  there  was  a  great  multitude  present, 
consisting  of  others  as  well  as  of  publicans.  With 
them.  With  Jesus  and  His  disciples,  in  whose  honor  the 
feast  was  given. 

30.  Matthew  and  Mark  make  the  murmuring  Pharisees' 
and  Scribes'  question  refer  to  the  Master — He  eateth 
with,  etc.  Luke  makes  them  ask  them  the  direct  ques- 
tion, Why  do  ye  eat  and  drink  with,  etc. 

32.   Luke  adds  the  words  to  repentance. 

Jesus'  answer  takes  very  high  ground  with  reference  to 
Himself.  He  did  not  associate  with  publicans  and  sin- 
ners as  a  boon  companion,  but  as  their  Healer.  And 
though  the  fault  found  with  Him  was  in  His  relation  as 
a  guest,  His  answer  represents  Him  as  the  great  Inviter 
of  men,  while  He  says,  I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous, 
but  sinners:  and  that,  not  in  their  sins  hwX.  from  them, 
to  call  them  "  to  repentance."  In  God's  sight  "  there  is 
none  righteous,  no,  not  one  "  (Ps.  xiv.  2,  3  ;  liii.),  but  "  all 
have  sinned  and  fall  short  "  (Rom.  iii.  10,  23).  Christ 
came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost  ;  and  all 
His  actions  showed  it.  He  had  power  to  forgive  publi- 
cans and  sinners,  yea,  even  Pharisees  and  Scribes  :  but  the 


114  ^-^^  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [v.  32-36. 

latter  did  not  feel  their  need,  whilst  many  of  the  former 
did  ;  and  so  publicans  and  harlots,  repenting,  believing, 
entered  into  the  kingdom  of  God  and  were  redeemed, 
whilst  the  self-righteous  children  of  the  kingdom  were 
cast  out ! 

Anybody  that  can  be  brought  to  repentance  and  faith 
in  Jesus  can  be  saved  ;  but  nobody,  however  "  righteous," 
can  be  saved  otherwise. 

33,  34.  Whilst  the  other  two  Evangelists  make  the 
disciples  of  John  parties  to  the  inquiry,  Luke  makes  the 
murmurers  cite  them  as  well  as  the  disciples  of  the  Phar= 
isees  as  fasting  and  making  prayers  over  against  the 
festive  spirit  of  Jesus'  disciples  ;  and  according  to  Luke, 
Jesus  said  strongly,  Ye  cannot  make  .  ,  .  fast,  etc.,  can 
ye?  "I  let  it  content  me,  that  I  find  in  my  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  a  sweet  Redeemer  and  a  faithful  High-priest. 
Him  will  I  extol  and  praise  so  long  as  I  live.  But  if  any 
one  will  not  sing  to  Him  and  thank  Him  with  me  [i.  e. 
wants  to  fast]  what  matters  that  to  me?  If  it  likes  him, 
let  him  howl  by  himself  alone  "  (Luther). 

36-39.  And  he  spake  also  a  parable  unto  them ;  No  man  rendeth  a  piece 
from  a  new  garment  and  putteth  it  upon  an  old  garment ;  else  he  will  rend 
the  new,  and  also  the  piece  from  the  new  will  not  agree  with  the  old.  And 
no  man  putteth  new  wine  into  old  wine-skins ;  else  the  new  wine  will  burst 
the  skins,  and  itself  will  be  spilled,  and  the  skins  will  perish.  But  new  wine 
must  be  put  into  fresh  wine-skins.  And  no  man  having  drunk  old  ivine 
desireth  new  :  for  he  saith,  The  old  is  good. 

See  Matt.  ix.  16,  17  ;   Mark  ii.  21,  22. 

36.  Luke  calls  this  a  parable,  as  it  is  an  illustration  of 
the  spiritual  by  the  natural.  In  Matthew  and  Mark  the 
harm  done  is  by  increasing  the  rent  in  the  old  garment  ; 
in  Luke  it  is  twofold — he  will  rend  the  new  and  spoil 
it,  and  the  new  will  not  agree  with  the  old,  there  will 
be  want  of    harmony.     Christianity  is  not  patchwork  ; 


V.  36-39]  CHAPTER  V.  115 

the  new  covenant  is  not  something  added  to  the  old  ; 
whilst  it  fulfils  and  completes  the  old  (Matt.  v.  17  ;  Heb. 
viii.  13),  it  is  itself  a  new  spirit,  a  new  life.  (Comp.  vii. 
28.) 

37.  The  new  wine  will  burst  the  skins.  They  cannot 
hold  it,  it  exceeds  them,  its  power  will  break  forth  and 
go  beyond.  Christianity  is  too  lively,  free,  and  working 
a  thing  to  be  restrained  by  Judaism.  Note  that  all  this 
is  in  reply  to  Judaistic  objections  against  Christ  and  His 
disciples,  preferred  by  John  the  Baptist's  disciples  and 
the  Pharisees  (ver.  33). 

39.  This  is  peculiar  to  Luke,  and  is  something  of  an 
apology  for  the  hesitancy  of  many  to  take  up  with  the 
new  teaching.  The  habitue  of  the  old  saith.  The  old  is 
good  enough  for  me.  He  says  this,  however,  in  ignorance 
of  the  real  quality  of  the  new.  "■  A  wholesome  doctrine 
does  this  whole  passage  contain,  on  the  one  hand,  for 
those  who  would  weaken  the  quickening  power  of  the 
gospel  by  the  imposition  of  legal  fetters,  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  for  those  who  wish  to  lead  the  weak  brother 
at  once  to  the  highest  position  of  faith  and  freedom, 
without  allowing  the  leaven  time  for  gradual  develop- 
ment. On  the  whole,  we  may  perhaps  say  that  Rom. 
xiv.  contains  the  best  practical  commentary  on  this  word 
of  the  Lord.  Never  were  the  siiaviter  in  modo  and  the 
fortiter  in  re  more  harmoniously  united  than  here" 
(Van  Oost.). 


CHAPTER  VI. 

1-5.  Now  it  came  to  pass  on  a  sabbath,  that  he  was  going  through  the 
cornfields  ;  and  his  disciples  plucked  the  ears  of  corn,  and  did  eat,  rubbing 
them  in  their  hands.  But  certain  of  the  Pharisees  said,  Why  do  ye  that 
which  it  is  not  lawful  to  do  on  the  sabbath  day  ?  And  Jesus  answering 
them  said.  Have  ye  not  read  even  this,  what  David  did,  when  he  was  an 
hungred,  he,  and  they  that  were  with  him;  how  he  entered  into  the  house 
of  God,  and  did  take  and  eat  the  shewbread,  and  gave  also  to  them  that 
were  with  him  ;  which  it  is  not  lawful  to  eat  save  for  the  priests  alone  ? 
And  he  said  unto  them,  The  Son  of  man  is  lord  of  the  sabbath. 

1-5.  See  on  Matt.  xii.  1-8  ;  Mark  ii.  23-28. 
Matthew's  account  is  the  fullest,  Luke's,  the  briefest. 
Luke  adds  in  ver.  i,  rubbing  tE^em  in  their  hands,  and 

in  ver.  3  says,  Not  even  this  have  ye  read  ? 

Here  Jesus  declares  the  purpose  of  the  sabbath,  and 
refutes  not  only  all  Pharisaism,  but  also  those,  on  the 
one  hand,  who  say  that  the  Sabbath  was  a  Jewish  institu- 
tion, and  those,  on  the  other  hand,  who  hold  that  it  has 
been  abrogated.  He  who  was  in  the  beginning,  by 
whom  God  made  the  worlds,  says  the  Sabbath  was  made 
for  man,  and  is  intended  to  serve  him,  and  not  for  Iiini  to 
serve  it ;  therefore  the  necessities  of  any  human  being, 
made  in  God's  image,  are  more  important  than  any  spe- 
cific regulations  about  the  day.  The  author  of  man  is 
the  author  of  the  day  ;  both  belong  to  Him,  and  He  pre- 
fers the  living  soul  to  the  lifeless  hours  ! 

The  observance  of  the   Sabbath   had   been   the  great 

outward  mark  of  distinction  while  the  Jews  were  in  exile; 

the  strict  observance  of  it  afterwards  became  an  expres- 
116 


VI.  5-II.]  CHAPTER   VI.  117 

sion  of  national  Jewish  feeling.  Here  was  the  strong- 
hold both  of  Jewish  exclusiveness  and  Pharisaical  formal- 
ism. Here  they  make  a  test  for  Jesus  and  His  disciples; 
and  just  here  He  antagonizes  their  ideas.  He  shows  the 
Sabbath  to  be  a  divine  institution  for  man,  and  not  a 
Jewish  ceremonial,  and  declares  Himself  as  the  Son  of 
man,  Messiah  and  head  of  the  race,  to  be  Lord  even  of 
the  Sabbath.  He  might  abolish  it  if  He  chose,  but  He 
nowhere  did  so.  He  only  taught  its  true  nature  and 
observance.  The  Sabbath  is  a  means,  not  an  end ;  and 
they  who  use  it  otherwise,  or  refuse  to  use  it  at  all,  abuse 
it  or  reflect  on  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God. 

6-11.  And  it  came  to  pass  on  another  sabbath,  that  he  entered  into  the 
synagogue  and  taught :  and  there  was  a  man  there,  and  his  right  hand  was 
withered.  And  the  scribes  and  the  Pharisees  watched  him,  whether  he 
would  heal  on  the  sabbath  ;  that  they  might  find  how  to  accuse  him.  But 
he  knew  their  thoughts  ;  and  he  said  to  the  man  that  had  his  hand  withered. 
Rise  up,  and  stand  forth  in  the  midst.  And  he  arose  and  stood  forth. 
And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  I  ask  you,  Is  it  lawful  on  the  sabbath  to  do 
good,  or  to  do  harm  ?  to  save  a  life,  or  to  destroy  it  ?  And  he  looked  round 
about  on  them  all,  and  said  unto  him.  Stretch  forth  thy  hand.  And  he  did 
JO  .•  and  his  hand  was  restored.  But  they  were  filled  with  madness;  and 
communed  one  with  another  what  they  might  do  to  Jesus- 

6-1 1.  Luke,  the  accurate  narrator  and  physician,  notes 
that  it  was  the  man's  right  hand  that  was  withered,  and  that 
it  was  the  scribes  and  the  Pharisees  who  were  watching 
Jesus  :  also  that  he  knew  their  thoughts,  and  made  the 
man  stand  forth  in  the  midst,  to  be  himself  and  his  cure 
a  plain,  open  object  lesson  to  all  present.  To  save  a  life, 
or  to  destroy  it — which  is  the  thing  to  do  on  the  Sabbath  ? 
He  looked  round  about  on  them  all,  having  made  a  fair 
challenge  and  waiting  for  an  answer,  if  they  had  any  ; 
and  when  none  came  the  Lord  answered  His  own  ques- 
tion by  restoring  the  man's  hand  with  a  word.  But  they, 
in  their  false  religiousness  and  zeal  for  their  own  opinions, 


Il8  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vi.  ii,  12. 

were  filled  with  madness.  The  word  signifies  want  of 
understanding.  "  And  yet,"  Bengel  says,  "at  that  very 
time  they  had  reason  to  have  come  to  their  senses." 
And  communed,  were  talking  it  over,  one  with  another, 
what  they  might  do  to  Jesus,  to  destroy  Him  (Matthew 
and  Mark). 

Down  with  this  Jesus!  They  will  join  with  any  person 
or  party  to  accomplish  this  !  Here  again  was  illustrated 
the  common  proverb  that  religion  and  politics  make 
strange  bedfellows  (Mark  iii.  6).  Moreover  the  incon- 
sistency of  being  so  zealous  for  one  of  God's  command- 
ments, concerning  the  Sabbath,  while  they  were  busily 
violating  another,  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill,"  and  the  very 
spirit  of  the  whole  divine  law,  did  not  occur  to  their 
minds,  so  blinded  were  they  with  bigoted  "  madness  " 
(Luke  vi.  11).  It  is  noticeable  that  this  is  the  first  state- 
ment we  have  of  a  concerted  plan  to  destroy  Jesus. 

BrOADUS,  in  his  Harmony,  notes  on  John  v,  1-47  the 
hostility  of  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  as  having  reached  the 
point  of  a  desire  to  kill  Jesus  as  a  blasphemer  and  a 
sabbath-breaker  as  early  as  a  year  and  probably  two 
years  before  the  crucifixion  ;  and  on  the  passage  before 
us  says,  "  Here  at  some  point  near  the  sea  of  Galilee, 
there  is  already  a  plot  to  kill  Him,  as  some  had  wished 
to  do  in  Jerusalem." 

12,  13.  And  it  came  to  pass  in  these  days,  that  he  went  out  into  the 
mountain  to  pray  ;  and  he  continued  all  night  in  prayer  to  God.  And  when 
it  was  day,  he  called  his  disciples  :  and  he  chose  from  them  twelve,  whom 
also  he  named  apostles ; 

See  on  Mark  iii.  13-19,  and  comp.  Matt.  x.  2-4. 

12.  In  these  days  is  a  loose,  general  expression  of  time, 
sufficiently  exact  for  Luke's  purpose.  Matt.  (xii.  15-21) 
and  Mark  (iii.  7-12)  report,  in  this  time,  great  multitudes 
from  all  quarters  crowding  to  Jesus,  beside  the   sea  of 


VI.  12,  13.]  CHAPTER  VI.  iiq 

Galilee,  to  see  and  hear  Him  and  be  healed  of  plagues 
and  unclean  spirits,  whom  He  suffered  not  to  proclaim 
Him,  as  they  were  disposed  to  do.  From  the  sea  he 
went  out  (forth)  into  the  mountain  region.  The  only 
considerable  elevation  on  the  west  side  of  the  sea,  about 
seven  miles  southwest  of  Capernaum,  and  now  called  the 
"  Horns  of  Hattin,"  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  place. 
Luke  alone  says  that  He  went  there  to  pray — a  habit  in 
Jesus  which  our  Evangelist  is  specially  wont  to  note. 
(See  iii.  21  ;  v.  16;  ix.  18,  29,  etc.)  And  he  continued 
all  night  in  prayer  to  God.  What  a  spectacle  to  angels 
(then)  and  to  men  (now) — the  Son  of  God,  the  Son  of 
man,  engaged  all  night  in  prayer  !  What  an  example  ! 
Did  Jesus  so  often  resort  to  mountain  heights  because 
they  are  further  from  the  world  and  nearer  to  God  } 

13.  This  night  of  devotion  preceded  and  had  much  to 
do  with  the  choosing  of  the  twelve,  which  took  place 
when  it  was  day.  From  the  whole  body  of  his  disciples, 
whom  he  called  to  the  mountain  summit.  He  chose 
twelve.  Mark  (iii.  14,  15)  tells  the  purpose  of  their  ap- 
pointment. The  number  twelve  corresponds  with  the 
number  of  the  tribes  of  the  chosen  people,  the  typical 
kingdom  of  God  upon  earth.  (Comp.  xxii.  30;  Matt. 
xix.  28;  Rev.  xxi.  12,  14.)  From  Acts  i.  21,  22  and  i 
Cor.  ix.  I  we  gather  that  a  necessary  prerequisite  for  this 
calling  and  ofifice  was  to  have  been  an  eye-witness  of  the 
Lord.  Whom  also  he  named  apostles.  The  word 
means  persons  sent  forth,  like  our  word  missionary.  It 
occurs  only  once  in  Matt.  (x.  2),  once  in  Mark  (vi.  30), 
not  at  all  in  John  except  in  its  original  and  wide  sense 
of  messenger  (xiii.  16),  six  times  in  Luke's  gospel  history 
and  thirty  times  in  the  Acts.  (See  2  Cor.  xii.  12  for 
"  the  signs  of  an  apostle.")  The  Seventy  (x.  i),  after- 
wards sent  forth,  He  did  not  name  "apostles." 


I20  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vi.  14. 

14-16.  Simon,  whom  he  also  named  Peter,  and  Andrew  his  brother,  and 
James  and  John,  and  Philip  and  Bartholomew,  and  Matthew  and  Thomas, 
and  James  the  son  of  Alphsus,  and  Simon  which  was  called  the  Zealot,  and 
Judas  the  son  of  James,  and  Judas  Iscariot,  which  was  the  traitor ; 

14.  Simon  was  a  very  common  name  among  the  Jews. 
This  man  was  a  son  of  Jonas,  or  John,  a  fisherman  of 
Bethsaida.  He  was  first  brought  to  Jesus  by  his  brother 
Andrew,  more  than  a  year  before.  At  that  time  Jesus 
told  him,  "  Thou  shalt  be  called  Cephas,"  which  is  an 
Aramaic  (Syro-Chaldaic)  word  meaning  a  stone  or  a  rock. 
From  a  Greek  word  with  the  same  meaning  comes  the 
name  Peter.  This  was  his  apostolic  name.  Peter  had 
no  higher  ofifice  than  the  rest  of  the  twelve,  but  was  fitted 
by  nature  to  take  the  lead  among  them,  a  position  he 
evidently  occupied.  By  his  outspoken  confession,  di- 
vinely inspired,  of  Jesus  as  "the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the 
living  God"  (Matt.  xvi.  16),  made  in  behalf  of  the  twelve, 
he,  in  common  with  them  and  all  true  confessors  of 
Christ,  became  the  rock  on  which  the  everlasting  Church 
of  Christ  is  built. 

Andrew  was  the  first,  so  far  as  the  record  goes,  to 
confess  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  and  to  him  as  such  he 
brought  "  his  own  brother  Simon  "  (John  i.  35-42). 
Aside  from  the  lists  of  the  apostles'  names  we  find  him 
mentioned  only  in  Mark  i.  16-18,  29;  xiii.  3  ;  John  i.  40, 
44 ;  vi.  8,  9 ;  xii.  22.  James,  the  son  of  Zebedee,  is  also 
sometimes  called  James  the  greater,  to  distinguish  him 
from  the  other  James  (ver.  18),  either  because  he  was 
older  or  taller  than  he.  It  is  inferred  that  he  was  older 
than  John,  because  his  name  is  always  put  before  his, 
and  John  is  spoken  of  as  "the  brother  of  James."  (See 
Mark  iii.  17  for  their  surname.)  The  father  of  these 
brothers  was  a  man  of  some  means,  spoken  of  as  employ- 
ing "hired  servants"  (Mark  i.  20).     John,  moreover,  had 


VI.  14,  1 5-]  CHAPTER   VI.  I2I 

a  house  of  his  own  (John  xix.  27),  probably  in  Jerusalem, 
and  was  known  to  the  high  priest,  Caiaphas  (John  xviii. 
15).  James  was  beheaded  by  Herod  Agrippa  I.,  A.  D. 
44  (Acts  xii.  I,  2),  the  first  martyr  from  among  the  twelve, 
whilst  John  survived  them  all,  living  till  the  close  of  the 
century.  Those  representations,  pictorial  or  otherwise, 
which  represent  John  as  in  any  degree  effeminate,  are 
mistaken.  These  three,  Peter,  James,  and  John,  were  an 
inner  circle  among  the  twelve,  specially  near  the  Lord. 
(See  ch.  viii.  51  ;  ix.  28  ;  Mark  xiii.  3  ;  xiv.  33.) 

Philip  was  from  the  same  place  as  the  four  before  men- 
tioned— Bethsaida.  The  first  mention  we  have  of  him  is 
in  John  i.  43,  where  Jesus  found  him  and  took  him  along 
to  Galilee.  This  was  previous  to  our  Lord's  first  Pass- 
over after  His  baptism.  The  last  we  hear  of  him  in 
Scripture  is  in  Acts  i.  13.  Meanwhile  he  appears  in 
John  i.  45;  vi.  5-7;  xii.  21,  22;  xiv.  8,  9;  and  from  these 
references  he  appears  to  have  been  rather  a  halting  be- 
liever. Bartholomew  means  son  of  TJiolmai.  His  dis- 
tinguishing name,  as  generally  believed,  was  NatJianacl. 
The  first  we  hear  of  him  was  when  Philip  called  him  to 
Jesus  (John  i.  45-51),  when,  after  having  first  doubted 
whether  any  good  thing  could  come  out  of  Nazareth,  he 
afterwards  confessed,  "  Rabbi,  thou  art  the  Son  of  God  ; 
thou  art  the  King  of  Israel,"  speaking  out  of  that  sin- 
cerity of  heart  which  the  heart-searcher  knew  to  be  so 
characteristic  of  the  man  that,  as  he  was  coming  toward 
Him,  He  said,  "  Behold  an  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  is 
no  guile  !  "  He  was  of  Cana  in  Galilee.  This  is  all  the 
Scriptures  tell  about  him. 

15.  Matthew.  Formerly  a  publican,  called  also  Levi. 
(See  V.  27-29,  and  on  Matt.  ix.  9.)  He  became  the 
writer  of  the  gospel  history  called  by  his  name.  Thomas, 
called  also  Didymus,  both  of  which  mean  Twin.     Whose 


122  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vi.  15,  16. 

twin  brother  he  was,  we  know  not.  All  we  have  about 
him  is  in  John  xi.  16;  xiv.  5  ;  xx.  24-29;  xxi,  i,  2;  from 
which  it  appears  that  he  was  a  man  that  looked  at  the 
dark  side  of  things,  indisposed  to  believe  without  sensible 
evidence,  yet,  withal,  ardently  attached  to  Jesus.  His 
love  surpassed  his  faith  and  hope.  He  is  sometimes 
called  the  doubting  disciple  :  yet  he  has  given  us  that 
magnificent  confession,  "  My  Lord  and  my  God." 

James,  called  also  (xv.  40)  tJic  less.  (See  on  ver.  17, 
above.)  Son  of  Alphaeus,  who  in  John  xix.  25  is  called 
Clopas.  His  mother's  name  was  Mary.  Not  the  same 
as  "the  Lord's  brother,"  who  was  also  called  James  and 
known  as  "The  Just,"  and  President  of  the  church  at 
Jerusalem  and  author  of  the  Epistle  of  James.  It  was  a 
common  name  then  as  well  as  now.  There  are  other 
theories  of  these  Jameses.  We  have  given  what  we  con- 
sider the  most  sensible  view.  We  know  nothing  of  this 
apostle. 

Another  Simon,  called  the  Zealot,  a  Greek  word  ren- 
dered "  Canansan "  (Matt.  x.  4;  Mark  iii.  18)  by  the 
Hebrews.  The  Zealots  were  a  political  party  extremely 
violent  against  Roman  rule,  and  disposed  to  take  all  law 
into  their  own  hands  in  defence  of  Mosaism.  Nothing  is 
related  of  him  in  the  Scriptures. 

16.  Judas,  distinguished  as  of  James,  whether  son  or 
brother  is  not  certain.  Ordinarily  it  would  be  son  of 
James,  as  the  Rev.  Ver.  makes  it.  The  Auth.  Ver.  and 
others,  taking  this  person  to  be  the  same  as  the  writer  of 
the  epistle  of  Jude,  where  (ver.  i)  he  is  called  "  brother 
of  James,"  supply  "  brother "  here  instead  of  "  son." 
This  is  allowable,  but  exceptional.  In  Matthew  and  Mark 
he  is  called  Thaddceus.  The  only  thing  related,  in  the 
Scriptures,  of  Judas  the  apostle  is  in  John  xiv.  22,  where 
he  is  carefully  distinguished  from  "  Iscariot." 


VI.  1 6.]  CHAPTER   VT.  123 

Last  in  the  list  comes  Judas  Iscariot,  i.  e.  man  of 
Kerioth,  a  city  of  Judaea.  He  was  the  only  Judaean 
among  the  twelve,  all  the  others  being.  Galileans.  His 
father's  name  was  Simon  (John  vi.  71  ;  xiii.  26).  The 
correct  reading  is  not  "  was  the  traitor,"  but  became  a 
traitor,  as  the  Am.  Comm.  of  the  Revisers  make  it. 
Judas  was  a  lover  of  money  ;  while  treasurer  of  the 
apostolic  band  he  became  a  defaulter,  or  "  thief,"  as  the 
Scriptures  (John  xii.  6)  plainly  characterize  him,  and  for 
thirty  pieces  of  silver  betrayed  Jesus  to  His  enemies. 
He  yielded  to  the  evil  propensities  of  his  heart  and  to 
the  temptations  of  Satan,  and,  although  he  had  the  same 
opportunity  of  becoming  good  and  of  doing  good  that 
the  others  of  the  twelve  had,  he  wilfully  became  a  traitor. 
He  hung  himself  in  remorse  (Matt,  xxvii.  5).  Jesus  said 
of  him,  "  Good  were  it  for  that  man  if  he  had  never  been 
born  !  "  (Matt.  xxvi.  24). 

Of  course  Jesus  knew  beforehand  how  each  of  those 
He  chose  would  turn  out ;  but  it  was  Judas  ozvn  choice, 
and  that  against  every  argument  of  his  exalted  position 
to  a  place  near  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  become  what  he  did 
become. 

Such  was  "the  glorious  company  of  the  apostles"  on 
earth.  There  are  four  lists  of  them,  viz.  in  Matt.  x.  2-4 ; 
Mark  iii.  16-19;  Luke  vi.  14-16;  Acts  i.  13,  Although 
the  order  of  the  names  varies  somewhat  in  these  lists,  it 
is  noticeable  that  Peter  s  always  comes  first  ;  Philip's 
fifth ;  that  of  James  the  son  of  Alphaeus,  ninth ;  and 
Judas  Iscariofs  last.  This  divides  the  list  of'  twelve 
into  three  sets  of  fo2ir  each. 

17-19.  And  he  came  down  with  them,  and  stood  on  a  level  place,  and  a 
great  multitude  of  his  disciples,  and  a  great  number  of  the  people  from  all 
Judsea  and  Jerusalem,  and  the  sea  coast  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  which  came  to 
hear  him,  and  to  be  healed  of  their  diseases  ;  and  they  that  were  troubled 


124  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vi.  17-20. 

with  unclean  spirits  were  healed.     And  all  the  multitude  sought   to  touch 
him  :  for  power  came  forth  from  him,  and  healed  them  all. 

17-19.  Down  from  the  summit  He  came  with  them  the 
twelve  especiahy,  and  the  other  disciples  whom  He  had 
called  to  Him,  and  stood  on  a  level  place,  where  there 
was  room  for  the  multitudes.  Here  Luke  mentions  the 
crowds  which  Matthew  and  Mark  noted  earlier.  (See  on 
ver.  12.)  The  region  represented  was  very  wide.  From 
every  quarter  people  came  to  hear  him  and  to  be  healed. 
Luke,  the  physician,  distinguishes  between  diseases  and 
troubles  from  unclean  spirits.  Man  is  very  prone  to 
some  outward  sign  ;  hence  they  sought  to  touch  him. 
For  power,  might,  force,  went  forth  continually  from 
him,  its  source,  and  healed  all  who  came  under  its 
influence,  "  I  am  the  Lord  that  healeth  thee  "  (Exod. 
XV.  26). 

20-23.  And  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  on  his  disciples,  and  said,  Blessed  are 
ye  poor :  for  yours  is  the  kingdom  of  God.  Blessed  are  ye  that  hunger  now  : 
for  ye  shall  be  filled.  Blessed  are  ye  that  weep  now  :  for  ye  shall  laugh. 
Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  hate  you,  and  when  they  shall  separate  you 
from  their  company,  and  reproach  you,  and  cast  out  your  name  as  evil,  for 
the  Son  of  man's  sake.  Rejoice  in  that  day,  and  X^^c^for  joy  :  for  behold, 
your  reward  is  great  in  heaven  :  for  in  the  same  manner  did  their  fathers 
unto  the  prophets. 

On  the  identity  of  the  discourse  here  given  by  Luke 
with  that  given  by  Matthew,  chaps,  v.  to  vii.,  com- 
monly called  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  see  "  Prelimi- 
nary Observation,"  pp.  89,  90,  Vol.  L,  of  this  commentary, 
and  compare  the  passages  there  following  and  the  com- 
ments thereon.  By  some  it  has  been  strongly  main- 
tained that  the  two  Evangelists  report  different  dis- 
courses, spoken  either  successively  on  the  .same  occasion 
— first  on  the  mountain  and  then  on  the  plain — 
or  on  different  occasions.     But  most  writers  since  the 


VI.  20.]  CHAPTER  VI.  125 

Reformation  regard  the  two  passages  as  two  reports  of 
the  same  discourse,  each  reporter  giving  that  part  of  the 
discourse  which  suited  his  purpose  as  a  historian.  Mat- 
thew gives  the  longer  report,  with  repetitions,  writing  for 
the  Jews  :  Luke  gives  a  shorter  report,  giving  what 
specially  suited  his  purpose  as  a  writer  for  the  Gentiles, 
and  giving  elsewhere  some  things  that  Matthew  includes 
in  his  report  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  There  can 
be  no  objection  to  the  idea  that  Jesus  often  taught  the 
same  things,  and  even  in  the  very  same  words.  Every 
good  teacher  does  this,  and  every  learner  needs  it. 

20.  And  he,  in  contrast  with  the  multitudes  just 
spoken  of,  lifted  up  his  eyes,  in  token  of  what  He  was 
about  to  do,  on  his  disciples,  whom  He  specially,  but 
not  exclusively  (see  vii.  i  and  Matt.  vii.  28)  addressed 
in  what  follows. 

In  Luke  the  address  is  more  direct,  in  the  second  per- 
son :  Ye  poor,  yours  is,  where  Matthew  has  "  the  poor," 
"  theirs  is,"  and  so  on.  Those  who  are  poor  as  ye  are  poor, 
who  have  left  all  for  the  kingdom  of  God's  sake.  Poverty, 
in  the  sense  of  want  of  this  world's  goods,  is  not  a  blessing ; 
it  may  lead  to  the  blessing  here  pronounced,  if  the  discipline 
of  it  is  rightly  used  ;  but  poverty  is  often  accompanied 
by  pride  ;  "  poor  and  proud  "  has  become  an  aphorism. 
Evidently  it  is  a  character  and  not  a  condition  that  is 
here  pronounced  blessed.  It  is  Matthew's  "  poor  in 
spirit " — those  who  in  their  spirit,  within,  feel  their 
emptiness  and  need.  Opposite  to  this  are  the  proud  in 
spirit,  who  are  an  abomination  to  the  Lord  (Prov.  xvi. 
5),  such,  e.  g.  as  the  Laodiceans  mentioned  in  Rev.  iii. 
17.  This  character  is  fundamental  and  accordant  with 
that  fundamental  law  of  God's  kingdom,  "  He  that  ex- 
alteth  himself  shall  be  abased,  and  he  that  humbleth 
himself  shall  be  exalted  "  (xiv.  11,  xviii.  14).     We  must 


126  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vi.  20-23. 

be  emptied  of  ourselves  and  of  the  world  before  God 
can  fill  us  with  Himself.  This  spirit,  taking  refuge  in 
God,  says,  "  Let  me  Jiide  myself  in  Thee !  "  and, 
"  Nothing  in  my  hand  I  bring."  It  may  exist  in  him 
who  has  much  of  this  world's  goods  but  does  not  set  his 
heart  upon  them.  Yet  the  Scriptures  and  observation 
warn  that  worldly  riches  are  apt  to  exalt  the  spirit  and 
make  it  trust  in  them,  whilst  poverty  tends  to  produce  a 
sense  of  dependence,  and  makes  room  for  faith.  Why 
blessed  ?  Because  yours  is  the  kingdom  of  God.  Mat- 
thew says  "the  kingdom  of  heaven."  (See  Excursus 
I.,  Appendix,  Vol.  I.  of  this  Commentary.)  The 
blessings  of  God's  rule  in  redemption,  the  privi- 
leges of  heavenly  citizenship  (Phil.  iii.  20;  Eph.  ii.  10), 
are  yours.  Here  is  full  supply  for  your  felt  spiritual 
need. 

21.  Now,  of  this  present  earthly  sphere,  is  contrasted 
with  hereafter,  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  The  beatitudes, 
whilst  asserting  a  present  blessing,  look  chiefly  to  the 
future.  Shall  be  filled.  "  I  shall  be  satisfied  "  (Ps.  xvii. 
15).  Weep  and  laugh  are  short  ways  of  expressing  states, 
conditions.     (See  ver.  25.) 

22.  Separate  you — **  from  the  congregation  of  the 
synagogue  and  the  intercourse  of  common  life  "  (Meyer), 
carrying  out  their  hate.  (See  John  ix.  22  ;  xii.  42  ;  Matt. 
X.  17,  18  ;  xxiii.  34,  35).  For  the  5on  of  man's  sake. 
Because  ye  are  His  disciples.  On  the  title  "  Son  of 
man,"  commonly  used  by  the  Lord  of  Himself,  here  first 
occurring  in  Luke,  see  on  Matt.  viii.  20.  He  is  tJie  Son 
of  man,  in  distinction  from  all  other  sons  of  men,  the 
second  Adam. 

23.  Rejoice  in  that  day  of  persecution  for  Christ's 
sake,  even  leap  for  joy — not  because  of  the  persecution 
and  evil  treatment,  not  in  the  suffering,  but   because  it 


VI.  23-26.]  CHAPTER  VI.  127 

marks  you  as  among  those  who  shall  have  a  reward  in 
h«aven,  one  that  is  great.  Your  treatment,  like  that 
which  the  prophets  received  of  old,  shows  you  to  be, 
like  them,  God's  chosen  ones,  to  belong  to  those  over 
whom  He  exercises  special  care  and  for  whom  He  has 
prepared  a  glorious  hereafter.  The  suffering  Christian 
rejoices  in  hope. 

24-26.  But  woe  unto  you  that  are  rich  !  for  we  have  received  your  conso- 
lation. Woe  unto  you,  ye  that  are  full  now  !  for  ye  shall  hunger.  Woe  ?<«- 
if(?j^«,  ye  that  laugh  now!  for  ye  shall  mourn  and  weep.  Woe  unto  you, 
when  all  men  shall  speak  well  of  you !  for  in  the  same  manner  did  their 
fathers  to  the  false  prophets. 

24-26.  Woe  is  the  opposite  of  blessing,  and  we  have  in 
these  verses  the  converse  of  the  beatitudes  just  given. 
Jesus  not  only  could,  but  must,  pronounce  woes  as  well 
as  benedictions ;  for  He  was  honest,  was  the  Truth. 
Opposite  characters  must  meet  opposite  treatment  from 
the  just  and  holy  God.  (See  Matt.  xi.  21  ;  xxiii.  13-15, 
23-29  ;  xxvi.  24 ;  also  Rev.  vi.  16,  which  speaks  of  "  the 
wrath  of  the  Lamb.") 

When  Jesus  here  says,  you  that  are  rich,  etc.,  He  ex- 
tends His  vision  beyond  the  circle  indicated  in  ver.  20: 
"you,"  whoever  and  wherever  you  are.  See  the  parable 
of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus  (ch.  xvi.).  It  is  not  a  good 
sign  when  ail  men  shail  speal<  well  of  you.  So  it  was  of 
old  (i  Kings  xxii.  6-27  ;  Jer.  v.  31  ;  xxiii.  16,  17  ;  Mic.  ii. 
11),  with  the  false  prophets,  who  uttered  "smooth 
things "  (Is.  XXX.  10)  to  please.  Men  of  positive  con- 
victions and  the  courage  of  them,  upright  men,  who 
speak  out  the  truth,  are  sure  to  meet  opposition  and  to 
be  spoken  against.  We  are  not  to  court  or  unnecessarily 
provoke  opposition,  but  it  would  be  strange  if  we,  as 
faithful  disciples  of  Christ,  did  not  meet  it  in  this  present 
evil  world. 


128  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vi.  27-29. 

27,  28.  But  I  say  unto  you  which  hear,  Love  your  enemies,  do  good  to 
them  that  hate  you,  bless  them  that  curse  you,  pray  for  them  that  despite- 
fully  use  you. 

27,  28.  You  which  hear  seems  to  point  a  contrast  with 
those  who  set  up  their  own  wilful  judgment  as  an  inter- 
preter of  the  law,  and  refuse  to  hear  its  inner  spiritual 
sense,  as  expounded  by  the  Lord.  TJie  Bible  Co7n- 
niaitary  says,  "  Our  Lord  now  turns  from  the  two  classes 
whom  He  has  been  apostrophizing,  to  His  actual  hearers." 
I  say  unto  you.  The  true  expositor,  that  living  Law, 
Jesus,  the  fulfiller,  says,  Love  your  enemies;  and  illus- 
trates in  three  particulars — do  good  to — bless — pray  for; 
even  though  the  objects  of  these  acts  of  love  hate  you — 
curse  you — despitefully  use  you.  Return  not  like  for 
like,  but  good  for  evil.  This  is  a  retaliation  which  is 
divine  !  The  Apostle  inculcates  it  to  the  Romans  (xii. 
21), — a  new  doctrine,  doubtless,  for  them — "  Be  not  over- 
come of  evil,  but  overcome  evil  with  good." 

29.  To  him  that  smiteth  thee  on  the  one  cheek  offer  also  the  other:  and 
from  him  that  taketh  away  thy  cloke  withhold  not  thy  coat  also. 

29.  Here  are  two  illustrations  of  evil  treatment,  and 
the  Lord's  method  of  overcoming  them.  The  first  is 
personal  affront,  as  when  one  smiteth  thee  on  the  cheek, 
a  something  not  easy  for  the  natural  man  to  bear.  The 
like  has  often  made  a  quarrel  and  even  resulted  in 
murder.  The  second,  as  when  one  taketh  away  thy 
cloke,  seems  (from  Matt.  v.  40)  to  refer  to  a  legal  process 
entered  on  in  a  litigious,  unkindly  spirit.  In  the  first 
instance  the  Christian  retaliation  here  urged  is,  Offer  also 
the  other  cheek  to  the  smiter  ;  in  the  second  it  is  with= 
hold  not  thy  coat  also.  This  is  certainly  unusual  teach- 
ing, very  different  from  both  teachings  and  customs 
current  among  men.     That  we  are  to  regard  the  spirit  of 


VI.  29,  3o]  CHAPTER  VI.  129 

the  Lord's  teaching  here,  rather  than  a  formal  obedience 
to  the  letter,  is  evident  from  our  Lord's  own  conduct 
when  smitten  on  the  cheek  (John  xviii.  22,  23) :  on  the 
other  hand,  the  wrong  and  Pharisaic  interpretation  of  our 
Lord's  words  is  illustrated  in  that  reported  case  of  the 
Quaker  (a  mythical  case  most  likely)  who,  when  smitten, 
having  first  turned  the  other  cheek,  in  fulfilment  of  the 
law,  as  he  thought,  thereupon  proceeded  to  flog  the 
evildoer!  The  spirit  forbidden  in  these  verses  is  a  spirit 
of  revenge  and  strife  ;  that  which  is  enjoined  is  a  spirit 
of  forbearance,  patience  under  injuries,  and  is  illustrated 
chiefly  in  the  Lord  Himself  (i  Pet.  ii.  23),  and  notably  in 
the  Apostle  Paul  (i  Cor.  iv.  11-13). 

30.     Give  to  every  one  that  asketh  thee ;  and  of  him  that  taketh  away 
thy  goods  ask  them  not  again. 

30.  Give,  rather  than  exact.  Giving  is  divine.  Every 
good  gift  and  every  perfect  gift  is  from  above.  God  is 
always  giving  :  be  like  Him.  Yes,  this  is  a  much  needed 
grace  in  the  Church,  not  enough  preached  or  practised 
either  in  the  pulpit  or  in  the  pew  1  To  every  one  that 
asketh  thee.  Whether  formally  or  not.  All  need,  com- 
ing to  our  knowledge,  is  an  "  asking."  Therefore  it  will 
not  do  to  shut  ourselves  out  from  access  to  those  who 
would  ask  and  then  say,  "  Nobody  asked  me,"  or  from 
knowledge  of  need  and  then  say,  "  I  didn't  know  it." 
Augustine  comments  thus  on  this  passage  :  "  '  To  every 
one  that  asketh,'  says  He  ;  not,  everything  to  him  that 
asketh  :  so  that  you  are  to  %\vq  that  which  you  can 
honestly  and  justly  give.  For,  what  if  he  should  ask 
money  wherewith  he  may  endeavor  to  oppress  an  inno- 
cent man  ?  What  if,  in  short,  he  should  ask  something 
unchaste  ?  .  .  .  That  certainly  is  to  be  given  which  may 
hurt  neither  thyself  nor  the  other  party,  as  far  as  can  be 


130  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vi.  30,  31. 

known  or  supposed  by  man  ;  and  in  the  case  of  him  to 
whom  you  have  justly  denied  what  he  asks,  justice  itself 
is  to  be  made  known,  so  that  you  may  not  send  him  away 
empty.  Thus  you  will  give  to  every  one  that  asketh 
you,  although  you  will  not  always  give  what  he  asks ; 
and  you  will  sometimes  give  something  better,  when  you 
have  set  him  right  who  was  making  unjust  requests." 

Alford  says,  "  To  give  everything  to  every  one — the 
sword  to  the  madman,  the  alms  to  the  impostor,  the 
criminal  request  to  the  temptress — would  be  to  act  as  the 
enemy  of  others  and  ourselves." 

The  latter  part  of  the  verse  teaches  us  to  think  more 
of  our  own  well-kept,  sweet-tempered  spirit,  and  of  our 
fellow-man's  need,  than  of  our  earthly  goods.  'Tis  better 
to  lose  our  goods  than  our  temper.  In  all  these  illustra- 
tions of  a  Christly  spirit,  the  supposition  is  an  extreme 
one,  so  as  to  cover  all  cases  :  if  such  a  spirit  is  to  be 
shown  in  so  unlikely  cases,  let  it  by  all  means  appear  in 
the  common  intercourse  of  daily  life. 

31.     And  as  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  also  to  them 
likewise. 

31.  Here  is  a  summary  of  our  duty  to  our  fellow-man, 
which  was  the  subject  of  our  Lord's  teaching  in  the 
previous  verses.  Such  duty  is  specifically  laid  down  in 
the  second  table  of  the  law,  which,  morover,  cannot  be 
fulfilled  without  regard  to  the  first  table  coming  before 
it  ;  as  is  constantly  kept  before  us  in  Luther's  explana- 
tions of  the  requirements  of  the  Commandments,  each 
one  starting  with  "  We  should  fear  and  love  God  and," 
etc.  Love  to  our  neighbor  springs  out  of  supreme  love 
to  God  (Matt.  xxii.  37-40;  Rom.  xiii.  8;  i  Tim.  i.  5). 
As  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  also  to 
them  likewise — notice  that  this  covers  much  more  than 


VI.  3I-34-]  CHAPTER  VI.  131 

just  those  things  you  might  wish  in  this  or  that  instance ; 
it  denotes  a  habitual  Dianncr  of  Hfe  and  action.  Notice, 
too,  the  positive  form  of  the  rule — not  "  refrain  from," 
but  "  do  thus."  This  is  the  Saviour's  Golden  Rule,  but 
the  Saviour  does  not  give  it  as  something  nczv ;  for  the 
law  and  the  prophets  had  given  it  before  (Matt.  vii.  12). 
We  find  it,  indeed,  in  quite  a  number  of  the  Pagan 
writers  of  Greece,  Rome,  India  and  China,  echoes  of 
God's  fundamental  truth.  Yet  there  is  a  depth  here  in 
our  Lord's  word  to  which  theirs  did  not  reach  ;  for  as 
Adam  Clarke  well  says,  "  None  but  he  whose  heart  is 
filled  with  love  to  God  and  all  mankind  can  keep  this 
precept,  either  in  its  spirit  or  lettcrT  We  must,  there- 
fore, go  to  the  Fulfiller  and  be  made  complete  in  Him. 
"  In  Cicero  and  Plato,  and  other  such  writers,"  said 
Augustine,  "  I  meet  with  many  things  acutely  said,  and 
things  that  awaken  some  fervor  and  desire ;  but  in  none 
of  them  do  I  find  the  words,  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that 
labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest  " — 
rest  even  from  the  heavy  laden  consciousness  of  not 
having  kept  this  perfect  law. 

32-34.  And  if  ye  love  them  that  love  you,  what  thank  have  ye  ?  for 
even  .sinners  love  those  that  love  them.  And  if  ye  do  good  to  them  that 
do  good  to  you,  what  thank  have  ye.^"  for  even  sinners  do  the  same.  And 
if  ye  lend  to  them  of  whom  ye  hope  to  receive,  what  thank  have  ye  .'  even 
sinners  lend  to  sinners,  to  receive  again  as  much. 

32-34.  If  ye  love  them  that  love  you,  and  in  other 
respects  do  to  others  just  as  they  do  to  you,  what  is  it, 
after  all,  but  selfishness,  and  the  working  of  the  merely 
natural  heart.  Even  sinners,  those  who  make  no  pro- 
fession even  of  any  better  character  than  what  they  have 
by  nature,  do  the  same.  "  No  man,"  says  Stier,  "  is 
so  wicked  and  abandoned,  no  sinner  is  so  essentially 
devilish,  as  not  to  have  some  objects  of  his  selfish   elec- 


132  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vi.  34,  35. 

tion,  of  whom  he  may  say — I  love  them   because  they 
love  me." 

But  Jesus  is  speaking  to  His  disciples,  and  showing 
them  what  tJicy  are  to  be.  Christians  are  to  have  better 
principles  and  live  on  a  higher  plane  than  merely  natural 
men.  What  thank  have  ye  ?  What  is  your  grace, 
wherein  are  ye  above  man's  common  nature  ?  Not  only 
God,  but  men  too,  expect  more  of  Christians  than  of 
others.     Let  them  not  be  disappointed  in  yo2i  ! 

35.  But  love  your  enemies,  and  do  tJiein  good,  and  lend,  never  despair- 
ing; and  your  reward  shall  be  great,  and  ye  shall  be  sons  of  the  Most 
High  :  for  he  is  kind  toward  the  unthankful  and  evil. 

35.  Here  the  teaching  of  vers.  27  and  28  is  reiterated. 
Love — do  good — lend.  The  first  embraces  the  other 
two  :  or  the  last  two  are  exhibitions  of  the  first.  "  Love  " 
that  does  nothing  and  helps  nobody  is  just  as  dead  as 
faith  without  works.  Light  must  shine  ;  and  love  must 
lend  a  helping  hand,  and  not  an  empty  one.  See  the 
parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan. 

Never  despairing  is  the  interesting  rendering  of  the 
Revised  Version.  God  will  requite  you  if  man  does  not. 
There  will  be  a  reward  for  the  character  and  acts  here 
inculcated,  and  it  will  be  great,  even  as  is  its  giver:  and 
ye  shall  be,  herein,  sons  of  the  Most  High,  children  of 
God,  which  is  far  above  being  children  of  Abraham,  a 
fleshly  relation  of  which  your  teachers  are  wont  to  boast  ! 
Here  the  only-begotten  Son  teaches  them  what  is  the 
spirit  of  God,  and  must  characterize  them  that  are  His. 
(Compare  John  i.  12.)  He  is  kind  to  the  unthankful 
and  evil.  So  He  witnesses  (Acts  xiv.  15-17;  xvii.  24- 
28;  Rom.  i.  19,  20)  His  loving  care  for  mankind,  and 
would  bring  them  to  know,  love  and  serve  Him,  and 
thus  become  happy.     "  God   gives  indeed,  without  our 


VI.  :i6,  37.]  CHAPTER  VI.  133 

prayer    even   to   the   wicked    also    their   daily    bread  " 
{Luther  s  Catechism).     See  Matt.  v.  45. 

36.  Be  ye  merciful,  even  as  your  Father  is  merciful. 

36.  Be  should  read  become  {ymaOej.  We  are  to  become 
by  grace  what  our  Heavenly  Father  is  by  nature,  fler- 
ciful.  In  the  parallel  passage  of  Matthew  (ver.  48)  the 
word  is  perfect.  This  shows  wherein  we  may  imitate 
God — in  being  merciful.  It  is  in  His  moral  perfections 
that  God  is  imitable,  and  that  we  may  reflect  His  image, 
showing  ourselves  to  be,  indeed,  His  sons. 

37,  38.  And  judge  not,  and  ye  shall  not  be  judged :  and  condemn  not,  and 
ye  shall  not  be  condemned  :  release,  and  ye  shall  be  released  :  give,  and  it 
shall  be  given  unto  you :  good  measure,  pressed  down,  shaken  together, 
running  over,  shall  they  give  into  your  bosom.  For  with  what  measure  ye 
meet  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again. 

37,  And  judge  not.  Notice  the  connection  in  which 
this  warning  is  put  and  compare  it  with  the  fifth  beati- 
tude and  the  fifth  petition  of  the  Lord's  Prayer  and  our 
Lord's  comments  thereon  (Matt.  vi.  12,  14,  15).  The 
faculty  of  judging,  comparing  and  deciding  is  inherent 
in  the  human  mind  as  God  made  it,  and  this  cannot 
mean  to  ignore  or  destroy  that  faculty.  Indeed,  on  the 
contrary,  it  is  divinely  appealed  to,  as  well  as  allowed 
(see  Luke  xii.  57  ;  John  vii.  24) ;  and  Is.  v.  20  pronounces 
woe  upon  those  who,  failing  to  discriminate,  bring  about 
confusion.  Further,  it  is  God's  prerogative  to  judge 
finally  (Ps.  xciv.  i,  2,  23;  Rom.  ii.  16;  iii.  9 ;  xii.  19; 
Heb.  xii.  23  ;  James  v.  9),  and  meanwhile  "  the  powers 
that  be  are  ordained  of  God  "  for  this  purpose  (John  x. 
35;  Rom.  xiii.  ;  i  Pet.  ii.  13,  14;  and  Matt.  v.  25,26),  and 
there  is  a  proper  and  official  judgment  in  the  Church 
(i  Cor.  V.  12  ;  vi.  2-5).  The  prohibition,  therefore,  can- 
not be  against  such  judgment ;  it  must  therefore  be 
against  personal,  private,  unauthorized,  unloving  judg- 


134  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [iv,  37,  38. 

ment  of  one  another — such,  for  example,  as  is  spoken  of 
in  Rom.  xiv.  3,4,  10,  13;  Col.  ii.  16;  James  iv.  11,  12. 
'■^  Judge  not — without  knowledge,  love,  necessity.  Yet  a 
dog  is  to  be  accounted  a  dog,  and  a  swine  a  swine  ;  see 
ver.  5  "  (Bengel).  "  It  is  a  sad  abuse  to  make  this 
passage  teach  us  to  be  as  tolerant  of  falsehood  and  wrong 
as  of  truth  and  right.  It  would  then  contradict  the 
prophets  (Is.  v.  20 ;  Ezek.  xiii.  10),  and  condemn  Jesus 
Himself,  Matt,  xxiii.  14,  33 "  (Tholuck).  "  But  he 
here  forbids  the  evil  eye,  which  ever  prefers  to  apply  the 
inward  rule  of  right  to  others  rather  than  to  self.  As  ye 
have  not  hten  Judged,  but  Jar  given,  so  deal  with  others 
after  God's  forgiving  love  "  (Stier).  "  Do  not  constitute 
yourselves  judges  of  others'  faults "  (Meyer).  "  The 
way  to  righteousness  lies  in  finding,  not  others'  sins,  but 
our  own  "  (Olshausen).  And  ye  shall  not  be  judged. 
For  your  judgment  of  others  recoils  on  yourselves,  since 
you  are  of  the  same  nature  with  them,  sinners,  imperfect, 
exposed  to  criticism.  (See  Rom.  ii.  1-3.)  This  reminder 
of  themselves,  as  like  other  men,  liable  to  be  tempted 
and  to  sin,  and  indeed  in  many  things  offending  (Jas. 
iii.  2),  this  recollection,  that  we  are  all  dust  and  children 
of  wrath  by  nature  as  Adam's  children,  seems  to  be  the 
spirit  of  the  various  propositions  of  these  verses.  We 
awake  in  others  the  spirit  and  temper  we  ourselves  show. 
Love  begets  love,  and  hate  produces  hate  in  return.  The 
recompenses  here  promised  refer,  it  seems,  both  to  this 
world  and  to  the  world  to  come. 

38.  If  it  be  asked  who  are  referred  to  in  shall  they  give, 
we  answer  that  the  proposition  is  generic,  and  refers  to  all 
who  give  in  return,  whether  men  or  angels  (Matt.  xxiv. 
31).  Into  your  bosom  is  explained  by  the  loose  robe 
then  worn,  gathered  by  a  belt  at  the  waist  and  so  afford- 
ing a  capacious  pocket  in  the  folds  on  the  bosom. 


VI.  38-40]  CHAPTER  VI.  132 

We  can  afford  to  be  like  our  Heavenly  Father;  we  will 
lose  nothing  thereby ;  but  we  cannot  afford  to  be  called 
Christians  and  live  as  sinners. 

Some  persons  think  they  cannot  afford  to  give,  can- 
not be  liberal,  for  fear  of  future  need.  But  here,  and 
everywhere,  the  Lord  teaches  that  "  the  liberal  soul 
shall  be  made  fat."  It  is,  indeed,  a  very  low  motive  : 
but  it  is  one  set  before  us  in  the  Scriptures,  one  that 
ought  to  move  those  who  think  much  of  such  a  motive 
— that  \t  pays  to  be  liberal,  merciful,  loving  ! 

39.  And  he  spake  also  a  parable  unto  them,  Can  the  blind  guide  the 
blind  }  shall  they  not  both  fall  into  a  pit  ? 

39.  Luke  omits  all  that  is  found  in  Matt.  vi.  Among 
the  many  things  spoken  unto  them  was  a  parable  which 
Matthew  relates  in  another  connection  (Matt.  xv.  14)  and 
Luke  sees  fit  to  record  here.  The  natural  meaning  is 
plain.  So  a  spiritual  guide  must  be  one  who  sees  spirit- 
ual things  and  knows  the  way.  The  professed  spiritual 
teachers  of  that  day  were  not  such.  (See  on  Matt.  xv. 
14.) 

40.  The  disciple  is  not  above  his  master:  but  every  one  when  he  is  per- 
fected shall  be  as  his  master. 

40.  Further  statement  and  illustration  of  the  same 
principle.  The  master — schoolmaster,  teacher — is  the 
guide  of  whoever  stands  to  him  in  the  relation  of  dis- 
ciple, learner ;  and  the  latter  is  not  above,  over,  superior 
to,  the  former,  else  their  respective  positions  will  be  re- 
versed ;  the  most  to  be  expected,  desired,  aimed  at,  is 
that  he  be  as  his  master,  up  to  him,  equal  to  him.  Then, 
so  far  as  that  school  is  concerned,  he  is  perfected,  the  re- 
sult aimed  at  is  attained,  defects  have  been  removed  and 
what  was  lacking  supplied.     Jesus  is  the  Teacher  sent 


136  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vi.  40-45. 

from  God  (John  iii.  2),  and  it  is  for  us,  as  His  disciples, 
to  become  like  Him. 

See  James  iii.  i  ;  and  learn  also  to  answer  correctly 
the  oft-asked  question  whether  we  shall  have  uncon- 
verted teachers  in  Sunday  School — or  anywhere  teachers 
of  what  they  do  not  know  and  love  and  live  ! 

41,  42.  And  why  beholdest  thou  the  mote  that  is  in  thy  brother's  eye, 
but  considerest  not  the  beam  that  is  in  thine  own  eye  ?  Or  how  canst  thou 
say  to  thy  brother,  Brother,  let  me  cast  out  the  mote  that  is  in  thine  eye, 
when  thou  thyself  beholdest  not  the  beam  that  is  in  thine  own  eye  ?  Thou 
hypocrite,  cast  out  first  the  beam  out  of  thine  own  eye,  and  then  shalt  thou 
see  clearly  to  cast  out  the  mote  that  is  in  thy  brother's  eye. 

41,42.  See  on  Matt.  vii.  3-5.  "Thou  that  teachest 
another,  teachest  thou  not  thyself?  "  (Rom.  ii.  21). 

43,  44.  For  there  is  no  good  tree  that  bringeth  forth  corrupt  fruit;  nor 
again  a  corrupt  tree  that  bringeth  forth  good  fruit.  For  each  tree  is  known 
by  its  own  fruit.  For  of  thorns  men  do  not  gather  figs,  nor  of  a  bramble 
bush  gather  they  grapes. 

43,  44.  See  on  Matt.  vii.  16-20.  A  good  tree  may  oc- 
casionally have  on  it  specimens  of  poor,  imperfect  fruit, 
but  this  is  exceptional,  and  not  characteristic  of  the  tree. 
The  tree  bears  the  fruit,  and  the  fruit  marks  the  tree. 

45.  The  good  man  out  of  the  good  treasure  of  his  heart  bringeth  forth 
that  which  is  good  ;  and  the  evil  7na7i  out  of  the  evil  treasure  bringeth  forth 
that  which  is  evil :  for  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  his  mouth  speaketh. 

45.  As  the  application  of  the  principle  enunciated  was 
to  teachers  (vers.  39,  40,  ff.),  so  here,  going  away  from  the 
figure  of  a  tree,  we  come  to  what  his  mouth  speaketh, 
and  learn  that  this  proceeds,  as  much  as  a  tree's  fruits 
from  its  roots,  from  the  abundance  of  the  heart.  What 
his  heart  is  full  of,  that  he,  the  teacher  (and,  indeed, 
every  man),  bringeth  forth,  uttereth.  The  good  man,  as 
well  as  the  evil  man,  is  known  by  what  he  bringeth  forth, 


VI.  45-49-]  CHAPTER  VI.  137 

what  his  mouth  speaketh.  See — but  not  so  much  with 
reference  to  teachers — Matt.  xii.  33-37.  The  same  truth 
has  many  appHcations.  (Comp.  James  i.  26;  iii.  1-12  ; 
iv.  II,  12  ;  V.  12.) 

46.     And  why  call  ye  me,  Lord,  Lord,  and  do  not  the  things  which  I  say  .-' 

46.  If  He  is  Lord,  He  has  a  right  to  command,  and  it 
is  for  us  to  obey.  To  say  Lord,  Lord,  and  at  the  same 
time  be  disobedient,  is  to  prove  false,  to  "  say  and  do 
not."  A  profession  of  the  hps  without  a  corresponding 
confession  of  the  hfe,  marks  a  hypocrite.  (See  on  Matt, 
vii.  22,  23.) 

47-49.  Every  one  that  cometh  unto  me,  and  heareth  my  words,  and  do- 
eth  them,  I  will  shew  you  to  whom  he  is  like  :  he  is  like  a  man  building  a 
house,  who  digged  and  went  deep,  and  laid  a  foundation  upon  the  rock  :  and 
when  a  flood  arose,  the  stream  brake  against  that  house,  and  could  not 
shake  it:  because  it  had  been  well  builded.  But  he  that  heareth,  and  do- 
eth  not,  is  like  a  man  that  built  a  house  upon  the  earth  without  a  founda- 
tion ;  against  which  the  stream  brake,  and  straightway  it  fell  in ;  and  the 
ruin  of  that  house  was  great. 

47-49.  See  on  Matt.  vii.  24-27.  Every  one  that  cometh 
unto  me.  There  is  much  exhortation  to  come  to  Jesus. 
Whoever  does  so  must  not  only  hear  His  words,  but  do 
them.     (See  Jas.  i.  22-25.) 

The  Lord  taught  much  by  showing  likenesses.  All 
the  parables  are  of  this  nature.  Building  a  character  is 
very  much  like  building  a  house.  He  not  only  digged 
but  went  deep,  going  on  down  to  the  rock.  And  his 
house,  because  thus  well  builded,  was  proof  against  the 
storm,  so  that  it  could  not  shake  it.  But  his  house,  and 
his  hopes,  who  built  upon  the  earth  without  a  founda- 
tion, when  the  trial  came,  fell  in,  collapsed,  and  proved 
a  great  ruin.  (See  the  First  Epistle  of  John,  especially 
i.  6,  7  ;  ii.  3-6,  29  ;  iii.  14-24  ;  v.  1-4.) 


CHAPTER  VII. 
See  on  Matt.  viii.  5-13. 

1.  After  he  had  ended  all  his  sayings  in  the  ears  of  the  people,  he  en- 
tered into  Capernaum. 

1.  Luke  brings  Jesus  directly  from  the  scene  of  the 
Sermon  on  the  Mount  to  Capernaum,  having  previously 
(v.  12-16)  given  the  healing'of  the  leper,  which  Matthew- 
records  here.  Entered  into  Capernaum.  Here  is  one  of 
the  marks  that  distinguish  the  healing  of  the  nobleman's 
son  (John  iv.  46-54)  from  this  of  the  centurion's  servant. 
That  was  done  when  Jesus  was  at  Cana,  and  was  a  much 
earlier  occurrence  than  this. 

2.  And  a  certain  centurion's  servant,  who  was  dear  unto  him,  was  sick 
and  at  the  point  of  death. 

2.  Four  centurions  have  favorable  mention  in  the  New 
Testament  ;  this  one,  that  one  at  the  cross,  Cornelius 
(Acts  x.\  and  Julius,  Paul's  guard  to  Rome.  It  was  this 
man's  servant  that  was  sick,  and  ready  (about)  to  die. 
Matthew  says  he  was  paralyzed  and  an  acute  sufferer. 
Some  forms  of  w^hat  was  then  classed  under  paralysis 
were,  we  are  told,  attended  with  great  suffering  and 
speedy  death.  This  servant  was  dear  unto  his  master, 
and,  when  we  consider  the  rugged  character  generally 
characterizing  the  Roman  soldier,  we  are  struck  by  this 
tenderness  of  feeling  of  the  superior  to  the  inferior. 

3.  And  when  he  heard  concerning  Jesus,  he  sent  unto  him  elders  of 
the  Jews,  asking  him  that  he  would  come  and  save  his  servant. 

138 


VII.  3-5-]  CHAPTER  VII.  139 

3.  The  centurion  had  heard  of  Jesus,  and  was  not  in- 
attentive to  the  reports  of  His  wonderful  teachings  and 
works.  He  had  likely  heard  of  His  healing  power,  and 
of  His  demeanor  both  there  in  Capernaum,  and  wherever 
Jesus  went  ;  knew,  perhaps,  of  the  healing  of  the  noble- 
man's son.  He  sent  unto  him  the  elders  of  the  Jews. 
Luke  gives  more  particulars.  Matthew  merely  says,  "  He 
went,"  on  the  common  principle  that  what  one  does 
through  another  he  may  be  said  to  do  himself.  Thus  we 
say  Noah  built  the  Ark,  and  Solomon  built  the  Temple. 
This  mode  of  speech  is  very  common.  Such  simple  dis- 
crepancies between  the  various  narrators  of  the  same 
thing  serve  rather  to  confirm  than  invalidate  the  truth- 
fulness of  the  narrative.  The  Roman  soldier  probably 
thought  that  as  Jesus  was  a  Jewish  teacher,  his  suit 
would  be  served  by  employing  a  deputation  of  distin- 
guished men  of  that  people.  Self-interest,  too,  would 
impel  these  men  to  seek  to  please  this  captain.  But  we 
need  not  impute  unworthy  motives  to  them.  That  he 
would  come.  If  this  was  the  centurion's  request,  he  re- 
called it  afterwards  (ver.  f)  as  asking  too  much.  Perhaps 
he  personally  only  asked  that  Jesus  would  save  (heal)  his 
servant,  whilst  those  sent  added  to  this  that  He  would 
come  to  the  house. 

4,  5.  And  they,  when  they  came  to  Jesus,  besought  him  earnestly,  say- 
ing, He  is  worthy  that  thou  shouldest  do  this  for  him :  for  he  loveth  our 
nation,  and  himself  built  us  our  synagogue. 

4,  5.  Besought  him  instantly  (urgently).  They  en- 
tered fully  into  the  matter  entrusted  to  them  ;  and  they 
added  that  he  was  worthy  of  Jesus'  good  offices.  So 
they  estimated  him,  judging  from  their  own  feelings. 
For  he  loveth  our  nation.  That  would  go  far  with  the 
Jews  of  that   day.     There  was  not  much  love  lost   be- 


140  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vii.  5,  6. 

tween  them  and  the  Romans,  whom  they  looked  upon 
as  the  subjectors  of  God's  people,  and  from  whose  yoke 
they  thought  the  expected  Messiah  would  deliver  them. 
Himself  built  us  our  synagogue.  Yes,  "  built  it  himself," 
out  of  his  own  funds  !  It  is  not  said  or  necessarily  implied, 
though  it  is  not  unlikely,  that  he  was  a  proselyte,  of  that 
class  "  whom  the  providence  of  God  had  so  wonderfully 
prepared  in  all  the  great  cities  of  the  Greek  and  Roman 
world  as  a  link  of  communication  between  Gentile  and 
Jew,  in  contact  with  both,  holding  to  the  first  by  their 
race,  and  to  the  last  by  their  religion  ;  and  Avho  must 
have  greatly  helped  to  the  ultimate  fusion  of  both  into 
one  Christian  church  "  (Trenxh).  A  man  who  builds  a 
church  in  these  days  is  generally  well  thought  of,  espe- 
cially by  those  for  whom  he  builds  it.  There  are  other 
instances  in  history  of  Gentiles  doing  this  for  Jews.  We 
gather  from  the  whole  narrative  that  this  captain  was 
wealthy,  liberal,  and  religiously  inclined. 

Here  we  have  a  beautiful  instance  of  intercessory 
prayer.  If  Jesus  could  heal  from  a  distance,  as  evidently 
the  centurion  believed.  He  could  also  know,  without  seeing 
or  being  told,  what  was  going  on  at  a  distance.  And  so 
He  does.  But  we  are  instructed  and  permitted  in  every- 
thing, by  prayer  and  supplication,  with  thanksgiving,  to 
make  our  requests  known  to  God,  and  taught  to  pray  one 
for  another,  and  to  agree  together  for  what  to  pray.  This 
faith  of  the  centurion,  recorded  for  our  instruction  and 
imitation,  ws.'s,  prayerful. 

6,  7.  And  Jesus  went  with  them.  And  when  he  was  now  not  far  from 
the  house,  the  centurion  sent  friends  to  him,  saying  unto  him,  Lord,  trouble 
not  thyself :  for  I  am  not  worthy  that  thou  shouldest  come  under  my  roof  : 
wherefore  neither  thought  I  myself  worthy  to  come  unto  thee  :  but  say  the 
word,  and  my  servant  shall  be  healed. 

6,  7.  Jesus  went  with  them.     On  the  contrary,  when 


VII.  6,  7-]  CHAPTER  VII. 


141 


the  nobleman  cried,  "  Sir,  come  clown,  ere  my  child  die," 
as  if  the  Lord's  bodily  presence  was  necessary  to  His 
putting  forth  healing  power,  Jesus  never  stirred  to 
go,  but  simply  said,  "Go  thy  way,  thy  son  liveth!" 
When  he  was  now  not  far  from  the  house  the 
centurion,  finding  that  Jesus  was  approaching,  felt 
called  in  courtesy  to  go  and  meet  Him,  yet  thought  him- 
self unworthy,  and  therefore  sent  friends  to  represent 
him  and  say,  trouble  not  thyself,  this  is  more  than  I 
expected ;  for  I  am  not  worthy  that  thou  shouldest 
enter  under  my  roof.  What  an  awe  of  Jesus'  greatness 
possessed  this  man !  Remember,  too,  that  he  was  a 
Roman,  an  offtcer,  and  a  man  of  wealth  and  influence, 
whereas  Jesus  was  a  Jew  and  of  obscure  descent,  and  had 
only  His  character  and  works  to  recommend  Him.  This 
centurion  must  have  been  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary 
thoughtfulness  and  penetration.  Further  he  sends  word, 
Not  even  did  I  think  myself  worthy  to  come  unto 
thee.  He  felt  as  Peter  did  when  he  cried,  "  Depart  from 
me  ;  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  O  Lord  !  "  (ver.  8).  His  esti- 
mate of  the  greatness  of  Jesus'  power  and  holiness  was 
accompanied  with  a  correspondingly  low  estimate  of 
himself;  there  seemed  a  distance  between  himself  and 
Jesus,  greater  than  he  had  ever  felt  in  the  contemplation 
of  any  other  character.  This  faith  of  the  centurion  was 
Jimnblc  ;  and  he  realized  a  fulfilment  of  that  principle  of 
the  divine  government,  "  He  that  humbleth  himself  shall 
be  exalted  ! "  Further  his  faith  was  confident.  Say 
in  a  word.  Give  but  the  command,  and  my  servant 
shall  be  healed.  How  confidently  he  speaks  ;  here  is  no 
wavering ;  no  doubt. 

8.  For  I  also  am  a  man  set  under  authority,  having  under  myself 
soldiers  :  and  I  say  to  this  one,  Go,  and  he  goeth  ;  and  to  another,  Come, 
and  he  cometh  ;  and  to  my  servant,  Do  this,  and  he  doeth  it. 


142  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vii.8,  9. 

8.  Fori  also  am  a  man  set  under  authority,  or,  supply- 
ing the  ellipsis  involved  in  this  form  of  construction  in  the 
Greek,  we  might  paraphrase  it  thus  :  "  And  I  speak  thus 
confidently  not  without  reason  ;  for  I  understand  the 
nature  of  authority,  and  the  relation  of  commander  and 
commanded,  being  myself  under  the  orders  of  higher 
ofificers."  Having  under  me  soldiers  also,  so  that  it  is  in 
my  province  now  to  obey  and  now  to  command  and 
enforce  obedience.  And  I  say  unto  one,  Go,  and  he 
goeth  ;  to  another.  Come,  and  he  cometh.  Whatever 
orders  I,  as  captain,  give,  are  sure  to  be  obeyed, 
according  to  the  strictness  of  Roman  discipline.  And 
to  my  servant,  I,  as  master,  say,  Do  this,  and  he  doeth 
it.  Command  then  the  evil  disease,  which  is  subject  to 
thy  power,  and  it  will  as  readily,  it  must  as  obediently, 
obey  thy  mandate.  The  centurion  seems  imbued  with 
the  spirit  of  the  Psalmist,  who  declares  concerning  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  "All  are  thy  servants"  (Ps.  cxix.  91). 
He  attributes  to  Jesus  here  the  attributes  of  Jehovah, 
who  "  spake  and  it  was  done  ;  he  commanded  and  it 
stood  fast  "  (Ps.  xxxiii.  9).  "  The  word  of  the  Lord 
abideth  forever"  (i  Pet.  i.  23). 

9.  And  when  Jesus  heard  these  things,  he  marvelled  at  him,  and  turned 
and  said  unto  the  multitude  that  followed  him,  I  say  unto  you,  I  have  not 
found  so  great  faith,  no,  not  in  Israel. 

9.  Jesus  marvelled  at  him,  wondered  at  such  faith,  and 
that  in  a  Gentile.  In  His  own  country,  and  among  His 
own  kin,  he  marvelled  because  of  their  u)ibc lief  {Ma.r'k  vi. 
6).  So  great  faith  as  this  of  the  Roman  centurion  He  had 
not  found,  no,  not  in  Israel,  where  their  history  and 
their  privileges  would  have  led  to  the  expectation  of 
faith,  if  anywhere.  Here  is  another  and  later  illustration 
of  what  Jesus  said  to  His  fellow-citizens  of  Nazareth,  that 


VII.  9-1 1-]  CHAPTER  VII.  1 43 

geographical  contiguity  and  hereditary  descent  are  not 
necessarily  followed  by  faith  and  its  fruits,  yet  are 
worthless  without  them;  that  opportunity  is  not  of  itself 
followed  by  benefit ;  that  outside  of  Israel  sometimes 
God's  most  favored  ones  are  found.  Faith  is  the  gift  of 
God,  and  in  this  centurion  God  had  found  a  suitable  place 
for  that  gift.  Jesus  was  so  impressed  that  He  turned 
him  about  and  said  unto  the  people  that  followed  him 
what  he  thought  of  the  centurion's  faith.  He  held  it  up 
to  the  Jews  as  an  example. 

A  Roman  and  a  soldier  outstrips  favored  Israel  in  faith. 
Perhaps  at  the  judgment  Socrates  will  rise  up,  to  con- 
demn members  of  our  Christian  Churches.  Not  by 
privileges,  but  "by  grace  ye  are   saved,   through  faith." 

Observe  in  this  account  three  estimates  of  the  cen- 
turion's character:  first,  his  own,  not  worthy  because  a 
Gentile  and  because  a  sinner;  second,  the  Jewish  es- 
timate, zvortJiy  because  he  had  built  a  Jewish  synagogue, 
the  highest  encomium  on  character  which  a  Jewish  elder 
could  pass  on  a  Gentile  outcast ;  third,  Jesus'  estimate, 
worthy  because  of  his  faith,  and  needing  no  commenda- 
tion from  Jewish  elders,  but  himself  an  example  and  a 
rebuke  to  them. 

10.  And  they  that  were  sent,  returning  to  the  house,  found  the  servant 
whole. 

10.  Returning  to  the  house,  the  elders  of  the  Jews 
and  the  friends  found  the  servant  whole  that  had  been 

sick.  According  to  his  faith  it  was  done  unto  the  cen- 
turion. Through  another's  faith  the  sick  was  healed. 
"  The  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick  "  (James  v.  15). 

11.  And  it  came  to  pass  soon  afterwards,  that  he  went  to  a  city  called 
Nain  ;  and  his  disciples  went  with  him,  and  a  great  multitude. 

11.  Soon  afterwards,  that  is,  after  the  heahng  of  the 


144  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vii.  ii,  12. 

centurion's  servant  at  Capernaum,  he  went  to  a  city 
called  Nain,  a  place  in  the  plain  of  Esdraelon,  near  Mt. 
Tabor,  not  far  from  Endor,  about  twenty-five  miles 
south  of  Capernaum.  Though  here  called  a  "  city,"  it 
was  a  little  place  that  would  never  have  been  heard  of 
but  for  the  events  of  our  lesson,  which  have  made  it  never 
to  be  forgotten.  Dr.  Thompson  says  there  are  no  anti- 
quities there  now  but  tombs  !  It  was  probably  evening, 
as  it  was  a  long  day's  walk  from  Capernaum,  and  as  that 
was  the  usual  time  for  funerals,  the  custom  being  to  bury 
the  dead  the  day  of  their  death,  or  very  soon  afterward. 
His  disciples  went  with  him  and  a  great  multitude, 
besides,  from  Capernaum  and  thereabouts.  It  would 
have  been  strange  if  crowds  had  not  followed  such  a  man. 
Why,  representatives  of  earthly  governments,  who  are 
not  specially  wonderful  in  looks,  words,  or  works,  but 
manifestly  are  men  like  those  about  them,  are  often  beset 
with  curious  crowds,  and  can  scarcely  be  alone  except  as 
they  shut  themselves  up  from  such  following.  How 
much  more  then  would  Jesus,  like  whom  man  never  spake 
or  wrought,  be  followed  by  the  multitudes.  So  there 
were  plenty  of  witnesses  to  His  deeds  and  of  His  teach- 
ings. Jesus  before  Pilate  said,  "  I  have  spoken  openly 
to  the  world,"  "  In  secret  spake  I  nothing." 

12.  Now  when  he  drew  near  to  the  gate  of  the  city,  behold,  there  was 
carried  out  one  that  was  dead,  the  only  son  of  his  mother,  and  she  was  a 
widow ;  and  much  people  of  the  city  was  with  her. 

12.  Near  to  the  gate  of  the  city.  It  was  a  walled  town. 
Behold,  there  was  something  to  see.  The  little  town  had 
been  unusually  stirred  that  day.  There  was  carried  out 
one  that  was  dead,  towards  the  burial  place,  which  was 
always,  except  in  the  case  of  the  royal  descendants  of 
David,  outside  of  the  city  limits.     So  are  our  cemeteries. 


vir.  12,  13.]  CHAPTER  VII.  145 

usually.  This  was  a  peculiarly  sad  funeral.  It  was  a 
young  man  that  had  died,  and  he  was  the  only  son  of  his 
mother.  Oh,  how  her  heart's  affections  had  twined 
around  the  only  son.  "Mourning  as  for  an  only  son  " 
was  an  expression  for  the  greatest  sorrow.  And  to  add 
to  her  desolation  in  that  hour  she  was  a  widow.  She 
had  previously  followed  her  husband  to  the  tomb,  and 
probably  been  looking  upon  her  son  as  the  stay  of  her 
increasing  years,  but  now  he  is  gone,  snatched  away  so 
remorselessly  by  grim  death.  Though  no  family  was  left 
to  accompany  her  in  this  trying  hour,  much  people  of  the 
city  was  with  her,  moved  alike  by  respect  and  compas- 
sion for  her.  This  death  was  one  of  those  that  move  the 
whole  community  and  bring  them  out  to  the  funeral. 

So  then  here  were  two  large  companies  about  meeting 
just  outside  the  city,  plenty  of  witnesses  on  both  sides. 
It  was  a  grand  opportunity  for  the  gospel,  and,  as  we  shall 
see,  it  was  well  improved. 

13.     And  when  the  Lord  saw  her,  he  had  compassion  on  her,  and  said 
unto  her.  Weep  not. 

13.  And  when  the  Lord  (a  term  applied  to  Jesus  most 
frequently  by  Luke)  saw  her,  the  chief  mourner,  know- 
ing in  Himself  her  history  and  circumstances  and  all 
about  this  death,  he  had  compassion  on  her.  (See  Heb. 
ii.  18;  iv.  15.)  His  was  a  heart  of  love  and  pity;  His 
sensibilities  were  undimmed  by  any  sin  ;  it  was  pity 
brought  Him  from  heaven  to  earth.  So  here  there  needed 
no  intercession  for  the  woman.  Jesus  was  self-moved  in 
this  act  of  pity  and  power.  And  said  unto  her,  Weep 
not.  For  any  ordinary  person  to  have  done  the  like  of 
that  would  have  been  heartless,  rude  and  insulting.  But 
the  way  in  which  it  was  done,  the  tones  of  voice  in  which 
the  words  were  uttered,  the  crowd  that  was  attending 

ID 


146  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vii.  13,  14. 

Him  who  thus  spoke,  Avho  (it  now  flashed  on  their 
minds)  perhaps  was  the  wonderful  teacher  of  whom  they 
had  already  heard  something,  everything  conspired  to 
make  the  poor  woman  and  those  with  her  feel  that  this 
"  Weep  not  "  was  a  word  of  gracious  power  that  would 
be  joyfully  enforced  by  what  was  to  follow.  Quicker 
than  it  takes  us  to  tell  it,  the  greatest  sorrow  was  turning 
to  joy. 

"  Weep  not,"  is  a  weak,  cold,  presumptuous  word 
coming  from  a  fellow-creature  and  fellow-sufferer :  but 
coming  from  Jesus  it  is  a  word  of  gracious  power,  and 
has  dried  many  an  overflowing  eye  and  comforted  many 
a  sad  heart.  When  the  kingdom  for  which  we  pray  is 
fully  established  and  triumphant,  "  God  shall  wipe  away 
all  tears  from  their  eyes"  (Rev.  vii.  17).  Of  this  glorious 
result  we  now  have  a  foretaste.  Christianity  is  not  mop- 
ing or  sorrowful.  No  ;  it  is  "  glad  tidings  of  great  joy  :  " 
it  says,  and  says  with  power,  "  Weep  not !  " 

14.  And  he  came  nigh  and  touched  the  bier  :  and  the  bearers  stood  still. 
And  he  said,  Young  man,  I  say  unto  thee,  Arise. 

14.  Look  now!     He  came   and    touched    the    bier  on 

which  the  dead  body  lay,  wrapped  in  cloths,  but  not  en- 
cased in  a  coffin  as  we  bury.  They  were  accustomed  to 
lay  away  the  bodies  of  their  dead  in  built  tombs  or  sep- 
ulchres cut  out  of  the  rock;  and  for  this  no  tight  box 
was  used.  Jesus'  presence  itself  possessed  commanding 
power,  and,  when  He  came  and  laid  His  hand  on  the 
bier,  the  bearers  stood  still,  awaiting  something  unusual 
to  follow.  Now  hear !  He  addressed  not  them,  but 
spake  directly  to  the  dead  ;  not  as  an  orator  in  a  funeral 
oration  apostrophizing  the  dead,  but  as  He  which  calleth 
things  that  are  not  as  though  they  were.  He  said. 
Young   man,    I   say   unto   thee,  Arise.     "  Unto  thee  !  " 


VII.  14-  15]  CHAPTER  VII.  147 

Why,  wasn't  he  dead  ?  Had  not  the  soul  left  this  body  ? 
Yet,  here  is  the  word,  "  I  say  unto  thee,  Arise  !  "  Time 
and  space  are  relative  notions.  They  hedge  around  this 
mortal  life  ;  but  are  they  anything  to  spirits   or  to  God  ? 

1 5.     And  he  that  was  dead  sat  up,  and   began  to  speak.     And  he  gave 
him  to  his  mother. 

15.  And  he  that  was  dead  heard  the  voice  of  the  Son 
of  God  (John  v.  25-29)  and  sat  up,  and  began  to  speak, 

giving  abundant  evidence  that  he  was  no  longer  dead  ; 
and  this  before  crowds  of  witnesses,  many  of  whom,  doubt- 
less, were  living  when  Luke  wrote  his  Gospel,  and  were 
able  to  say,  "  Yes,  I  was  there  and  saw  and  heard  it  all !  " 

How  mysterious  the  relation  between  soul  and  body ! 
How  easily  the  departed  spirit  returns  to  its  former 
house,  when  bidden  by  Jesus'  word  !  It  has  been  ob- 
served that  Jairus'  daughter  was  raised  to  life  from  the 
couch  on  which  she  had  fallen  "  asleep  ;  "  the  widow's 
son,  from  the  bier  on  which  he  was  being  borne  to  the 
grave ;  and  Lazarus,  from  the  tomb  in  which  he  had  lain 
four  days  already,  exciting  in  his  sister's  breast  the  fear 
that  putrefaction  had  already  begun  ;  and  that  one  was 
a  child,  or  youth,  another  a  young  man,  a  third,  a  mature 
man.  It  will  be  just  as  easy  for  the  same  divine  word 
of  power  to  call  back  to  the  bodies  of  the  saints,  now 
gone  to  the  dust,  then  risen  incorruptible,  their  immortal 
spirits,  for  a  time  separated  from  them  and  waiting  to  be 
thus  glorified  with  their  bodies.  Jesus  is  the  victor  over 
death,  leaving  the  monster  no  permanent  triumph  over 
either  body  or  soul.  Who,  then,  will  doubt  or  deny  the 
resurrection  of  the  body  ? 

And  he  delivered  him  to  his  mother.  How  beautiful 
in  its  simplicity  !  Jesus  is  the  God  of  the  widow.  A 
mark  of  pure  and  undefiled  religion  is  to  visit  the  father- 


148  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vii.  15,  16. 

less  and  widows  in  their  affliction  (Jas,  i.  27).  This 
lad  could  serve  God,  to  whom  he  owed  his  renewed  life, 
better  at  home,  providing  for  his  own  house,  than  any- 
where else. 

As  the  widow  knew  her  son  when  raised  as  well  as  she 
had  before,  as  Jairus'  daughter  and  Lazarus  looked  not 
strange,  but  familiar,  to  their  kinsfolk  and  friends,  so  xve 
shall  know  each  other  there  and  then,  when  we  shall  either 
in  a  moment,  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  living,  be  changed 
into  our  glorified  state,  or  be  raised  from  our  graves  in- 
corruptible (i  Thess.  iv.  13-18). 

It  is  supposed,  and  properly  enough,  that  in  the  case 
of  this  young  man,  new  spiritual  life  also  followed,  by 
God's  grace,  upon  his  renewed  natural  life.  To  quicken 
the  soul  from  its  death  of  sin,  to  raise  from  moral  and 
spiritual  death,  and  make  men  "  new  creatures  in  Christ 
Jesus,"  is  a  greater  miracle  than  this  of  the  raising  of 
the  son  of  the  widow  of  Nain.  "  Greater  works  than 
these  shall  ye  do,  because  I  go  unto  the  Father  "  (John 
xiv.  12).  Yet  it  has  become  so  common  as  not  to  excite 
surprise  ;  an  everyday  miracle  ceases  to  be  a  "  miracle  :  " 
how  few,  too,  mark  and  are  impressed  by  the  power  of 
God  thus  set  forth  in  His  church  ! 

To  the  dead  Jesus  spake,  and  said,  "Arise."  What 
inability  is  there  greater  than  death  ?  Yet  at  Jesus' word 
"  he  that  was  dead  sat  up  and  began  to  speak  !  "  Do 
not  say  you  are  not  able  to  obey  the  word  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  bidding  you  arise  from  unbelief  and  sin  and  walk 
in  newness  of  life  (John  v.  25  ;  Eph.  ii.  i).  Simply  be- 
lieve and  obey. 

16.  And  fear  took  hold  on  all :  and  they  glorified  God,  saying,  A  great 
prophet  is  arisen  among  us :  and,  God  hath  visited  his  people. 

16.  And  fear   took   hold   on   all.     Naturally    enough. 


VII.  i6-i8.]  CHAPTER  VII.  149 

Suppose  you  had  been  in  that  crowd  of  witnesses  ;  how 
would  you  have  felt  ?  Did  funeral  ever  end  thus  ?  The 
Wonder-worker  had  cured  lepers  and  paralytics  and  all 
kinds  of  disease  ;  but  now  first  He  proves  Himself  master 
of  death.  They  glorified  God.  Evidently  His  almighty 
hand  was  in  this  work.  A  great  prophet,  like  Elijah  and 
Elisha  (who  were  called  "  great "  prophets  and  also 
raised  the  dead),  is  risen  up  among  us.  Yet  we  see  a 
vast  difference  between  Jesus'  authoritative  word,  "  I  say 
unto  you,"  with  its  instant  effects,  and  the  comparatively 
difficult,  laborious,  and  manifestly  dependent  efforts  of 
those  Old  Testament  prophets  who,  calling  upon  God, 
raised  the  dead  (i  Kings  xvii.  17-24;  2  Kings  v.  18-37). 
Jesus  speaks  as  the  Prince  of  Life  !  God  hath  visited  his 
people.  (Comp.  i.  54,  55,  68,  78,  79.)  This  was  more 
true  than  they  thought  when  they  used  such  words.  The 
Day-spring  from  on  high  had  visited  them — the  greater 
than  Solomon,  than  the  great  prophets,  than  the  Temple. 
God  Himself  had,  indeed,  visited  His  people,  and  they 
were  beholding  His  glory. 

17.  And  this  report  went  forth  concerning  him  in  the  whole  of  Judaea, 
and  all  the  region  round  about. 

17.  This  report  expressed  in  the  preceding  verse,  and 
the  account  of  His  raising  the  widow's  son  from  the  dead, 
went  forth  concerning  him  in  the  whole  of  Judaea,  away 
to  the  south,  and  all  the  region,  of  Galilee,  round  about. 

And  Samaria,  too,  must  have  heard  it. 

18.  And  the  disciples  of  John  told  him  all  these  things. 

18.  The  news  reached  John  the  Baptist,  away  down  in 
the  prison  of  Machaerus  east  of  the  Dead  Sea.  (See  iii. 
19,  20.)  How  long  John  had  been  in  prison  we  cannot 
certainly  tell ;  some  say  a  number  of  months,  others  a 
little  more  than  a  year — long  enough,  however,  to  wear 


150  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vii.  18-23. 

the  spirit  of  the  prophet,  who  had  all  his  life  been  used 
to  the  freedom  of  "  the  deserts  "  in  which  he  grew  up. 
From  a  year  to  a  year  and  a  half  had  passed  since  Jesus' 
baptism,  in  which  time  Jesus  had  preached  and  wrought 
many  miracles,  in  both  Judaea  and  Galilee,  the  raising  of 
the  widow's  son  at  Nain  being  among  the  latest  of  His 
wonderful  works.  All  these  things  were  reported  to 
John  by  his  disciples.     (See  on  Matt.  xi.  2-19.) 

19-23.  And  John  calling  unto  him  two  of  his  disciples  sent  them  to  the 
Lord,  saying,  Art  thou  he  that  cometh,  or  look  we  for  another  ?  And  when 
the  men  were  come  unto  him,  they  said,  John  the  Baptist  hath  sent  us  unto 
thee,  saying,  Art  thou  he  that  cometh,  or  look  we  for  another  ?  In  that 
hour  he  cured  many  of  diseases  and  plagues  and  evil  spirits  ;  and  on  many 
that  were  blind  he  bestowed  sight.  And  he  answered  and  said  unto  them, 
Go  your  way,  and  tell  John  what  things  ye  have  seen  and  heard ;  the  blind 
receive  their  sight,  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf 
hear,  the  dead  are  raised  up,  the  poor  have  good  tidings  preached  to  them. 
And  blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  find  none  occasion  of  stumbling  in  me. 

19-23.     See  on  Matt.  xi.  2-19. 

19.  Thereupon  he  sent  two — a  "  certain  two  " — of  his 
disciples  on  an  embassy  to  Jesus,  inquiring,  Art  thou  he 
that  should  come,  or  look  we  for  another  ?  In  view  of 
John's  mission  and  the  way  he  fulfilled  it,  the  query 
arises,  How  are  we  to  understand  this  embassy  and  ques- 
tion of  the  Baptist  ?  Some  say  it  Avas  meant  entirely  for 
the  benefit  of  John's  disciples,  that  they  might  hear  from 
Jesus  Himself  what  John  had  often  told  them  of  Him, 
and  so  be  led  to  faith  in  Jesus  and  a  following  of  Him. 
This  view  is  adopted  by  Dr.  Schaeffer  in  Vol.  I.  of  this 
Commentary.  But  against  it  is  the  whole  tenor  of  the  nar- 
rative, with  the  impression  it  makes  on  an  ordinary  reader, 
together  Avith  the  evident  fact  that  the  Lord's  answer 
was  sent  to  John,  as  the  real  propounder  of  the  question. 

Another  explanation  is  that  John  did  not  think  Jesus 
was  conducting  the  affairs  of  the  kingdom  they  had  both 


VII.  I9-23-]  CHAPTER  VII.  151 

preached  as  at  hand,  as  vigorously  as  He  should,  and  that 
the  question  was  intended  to  urge  Jesus  to  a  more  open 
and  pronounced  declaration  of  Himself  and  to  show  some 
of  that  judgment  which  John  had  declared  (Matt.  iii.  12) 
He  would  execute;  that  John  undertook,  as  Peter  some- 
times afterwards  did,  to  instruct  the  Lord  Jioiv  to  do 
His  work.  Another  explanation,  which  seems  to  us  the 
best,  though  not  without  difificulties,  is  that  John  had 
fallen  into  a  state  of  depression  and  gloom,  such  as  his 
situation  was  well  suited  to  produce,  and  that  his  question 
is  a  despondent  outcry,  "  Lord,  I  believe  ;  help  thou  mine 
unbelief !  "  Such  contrasts,  from  preeminent  boldness 
and  outspoken  testimony,  to  impatient  despondency  and 
shadows  of  doubt,  are  quite  consistent  with  man's  feeble 
nature,  are  psychologically  quite  explicable,  and  have 
appeared  in  some  of  the  greatest  characters  of  both  com- 
mon and  Bible  history.  "  What  wonder,"  says  Canon 
Farrar,  after  fervidly  reciting  the  situation,  "  if  the  eye 
of  the  caged  eagle  began  to  film?  "  John,  who  had  gone 
before  Jesus  "in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elijah,"  was 
here  too  in  his  despondency  and  impatience  like  the 
great  Prophet  of  Fire  when,  fleeing  from  Jezebel,  he 
rested  underthe broom  tree  (i  Kings  xix.  1-8),  thoroughly 
broken  in  spirit. 

21.  Luke  adds  the  important  statement  that  in  that 
hour,  right  before  John's  ambassadors,  Jesus  cured  many 
of  various  afflictions,  giving  them  fresh  evidences  to 
report  to  their  master. 

24-28.  And  when  the  messengers  of  John  were  departed,  he  began  to 
say  unto  the  multitude  concerning  John,  What  went  ye  out  into  the  wilder- 
ness to  behold  ?  a  reed  shaken  with  the  wind  }  But  what  went  ye  out  to 
see  ?  a  man  clothed  in  soft  raiment  ?  Behold,  they  which  are  gorgeously 
apparelled,  and  live  delicately,  are  in  kings'  courts.  But  what  went  ye  out 
to  see  ?  a  prophet.'  Yea,  I  say  unto  you,  and  much  more  than  a  prophet. 
This  is  he  of  whom  it  is  written, 


1^2  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vii.  24-30. 

Behold,  I  send  my  messenger  before  thy  face, 

Who  shall  prepare  thy  way  before  thee. 
I  say  unto  you,  Among  them  that  are  born  of  women  there  is  none  greater 
than  John :  yet  he  that  is  but  little  in  the  kingdom  of  God  is  greater  than  he. 

24.  Not  until  the  messengers  of  John  were  departed 

did  Jesus  utter  the  grand  testimony  to  the  Baptist  that 
follows.  He  would  have  them,  who  were  already  devoted 
to  John,  neither  think  more  highly  of  their  Master  than 
they  ought  to  think,  nor  cleave  longer  to  him  as  their 
highest  teacher  (see  His  call  to  them  in  ver.  23),  nor 
would  He  have  these  words  of  eulogy  carried  to  John's 
ear.  John  had  rightly  said  to  them  (John  iii.  30)  of  him- 
self tha-t  he  "must  decrease."  But  it  was  becoming  and 
necessary  that  Jesus  should  testify  to  John's  mission, 
whom  "  all  men  "  had  received  as  a  prophet  (Mark  xi.  32), 
and  who  had  clearly  announced  that  he  was  only  the 
forerunner  of  the  Messiah,  whom  he  spoke  of  as  "  stand- 
ing among  you  "  (John  i.  26),  right  at  hand.  Jesus  must 
own  John's  testimony  and  work,  nor  should  this  last 
desponding  question  of  John's  operate  against  his  previous 
testimony. 

29,  30.  And  all  the  people  when  they  heard,  and  the  publicans,  justified 
God,  being  baptized  with  the  baptism  of  John.  But  the  I'harisees  and  the 
lawyers  rejected  for  themselves  the  counsel  of  God,  being  not  baptized  of 
him. 

29,  30.  Most  older  and  some  later  commentators  regard 
these  verses  as  a  historical  statement  by  Luke  intro- 
ductory to  what  follows.  Meyer,  with  others,  regards 
them  as  a  continuation  of  Jesus'  words,  noting  the 
different  reception  John's  mission  met  with  and  preparing 
the  way  for  His  following  words  (vers.  31-35).  This  view 
is  supported  by  the  rejection  at  ver.  31  of  the  words, 
"  And  the  Lord  said,"  which  appear  in  the  Auth.  Ver., 
thus  leaving  the  whole  as  a  continuous  discourse  of  the 
Lord.     All   the  people,    the  masses,   and  the  publicans, 


vii.  30-36.]  CHAPTER  VII.  153 

usually  classified  with  "sinners,"  justified  God,  acknowl- 
edged God's  righteousness  and  method  in  the  affairs  of 
His  Kingdom,  by  being  baptized  of  him,  by  submitting 
to  John's  baptism,  but  thie  Pharisees  and  the  lawyers, 
the  men  of  the  land,  the  Scribes  refused  this  submission 
(see  Matt.  iii.  5-7,  ff.  ;  Mark.  xi.  27-33),  and  in  their  self- 
will  thereby  rejected  for  themselves,  as  far  as  they  were 
concerned,  the  counsel  of  God,  which  in  itself  cannot  be 
overturned.  God's  counsel  stands,  but  we  may  some- 
times make  it  inoperative,  in  its  original  purpose,  toward  us. 

31-35.  Whereunto  then  shall  I  liken  the  men  of  this  generation,  and  to 
what  are  they  like  ?  They  are  like  unto  children  that  sit  in  the  marketplace, 
and  call  one  to  another ;  which  say,  We  piped  unto  you,  and  ye  did  not 
dance ;  we  wailed,  and  ye  did  not  weep.  For  John  the  Baptist  is  come  eat- 
ing no  bread  nor  drinking  wine;  and  ye  say,  He  hath  a  devil.  The  Son  of 
man  is  come  eating  and  drinking;  and  ye  say,  Behold,  a  gluttonous  man, 
and  a  winebibber,  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners  ?  And  wisdom  is  jus- 
tified of  all  her  children. 

35.  And  wisdom — an  attribute  of  God  (Job.  xii.  13; 
xxviii.  20;  Prov.  viii.  14-36;  Rom.  xi.  33),  possible  in  a 
limited  degree  to  man,  the  gift  of  God  to  those  who  seek 
it  from  Him  (Jas.  i.  5),  here  personified — is  justified,  ap- 
proved, counted  right  (see  "  justified  God,"  ver.  29, 
above),  acknowledged,  accredited,  by  ail  her  children,  all 
who  are  of  her,  like  her,  by  all  who  are  wise.  Whether 
in  John  or  in  Jesus  wisdom  was  shown,  she  was  recognized 
and  approved  by  the  wise.  In  Matt.  xi.  19  the  reading 
is  "  by  her  works  ;  "  all  her  works  do  praise  and  attest  her. 
So  do  her  children,  in  every  instance.  Wisdom's  children 
know  when  to  dance  and  when  to  weep — in  harmony  with 
their  mother's  leading. 

36.  And  one  of  the  Pharisees  desired  him  that  he  would  eat  with  him. 
And  he  entered  into  the  Pharisee's  house,  and  sat  down  to  meat. 

There  is  an  account  by  the    other  three    Evangelists 


154  THE  GOSPEL  OP  ST.  LUKE.  [vii.  36. 

(Matt.  xxvi.  6-13;  Mark  xiv.  3-9;  John  xii.  i-ii)  of 
an  occasion  in  some  respects  similar  to  that  which  here 
follows  ;  but  examination  will  show  that  to  have  occurred 
at  a  later  period,  in  a  different  locality,  and  with  circiun- 
stanccs  so  differing  as  to  prove  it  not  the  same  occasion 
of  which  Luke  here  gives  account.  That  the  name  of 
the  host  on  both  these  occasions  was  Simon,  and  of  the 
woman  Mary,  is  no  proof  of  their  identity,  these  names 
being  very  common.  There  are  at  least  fifteen  distinct 
persons  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament  by  the  name 
Simon.  Moreover,  the  tradition,  to  which  the  Romish 
Church  holds,  that  the  woman  of  our  narrative  was  Mary 
Magdalene,  cannot  be  sustained.  There  is  no  proof  that 
Mary  Magdalene  had  been  a  woman  of  loose  character; 
and  our  searching  times  are  beginning  to  lift  off  from  her 
name  this  reproach.  All  we  can  certainly  determine 
about  the  locality  where  this  scene  occurred  is  that  it  was 
in  Galilee.  That  other  anointing  took  place  in  Bethany, 
near  Jerusalem,  and  just  before  the  close  of  our  Lord's 
ministry. 

36.  One  of  the  Pharisees.  The  Pharisees  were  promi- 
nent among  the  ruling  aristocracy.  They  felt  themselves 
to  be  the  preservers  of  Jewish  orthodoxy.  They  became 
the  most  violent  opposers  of  the  lowly  Nazarene,  but  at 
this  time  their  opposition  had  not  become  so  pronounced 
and  violent  as  it  became  later  in  the  history.  (But  see  on 
vi.  1 1 .)  This  one,  Simon,  seems  not  to  have  had  his  mind 
as  yet  fully  made  up  about  Jesus,  and  desired  him  that 
he  would  eat  with  him,  perhaps  in  order  to  observe  Him 
more  closely.  Simon  seems  to  have  invited  Jesus  not 
from  any  bad  motive  ;  there  probably  was  some  feeling 
and  show  of  patronage  on  his  part  towards  one  who  was 
becoming  so  illustrious  among  men.  Jesus  went  into  the 
Pharisee's  house,  according  to  His  custom  to  go  where 


vn.  36, 37-1  CHAPTER  VII.  155 

He  was  bidden.  (Comp.  i  Cor.  x.  27,)  No  matter 
whether  it  was  chief  of  the  Pharisees  or  chief  of  the 
pubHcans,  man  of  social  standing  or  of  proscribed  class, 
Jesus  was  ready  to  go  and  eat  with  him,  to  do  him  good. 
One  place  on  earth  was  as  much  home  to  Him  as  any 
other ;  and  He  came  "  eating  and  drinking  "  (ver.  34),  in 
contrast  with  the  ascetic  John.  Sat  down  to  meat.  This 
phrase  is  a  single  word  in  the  Greek  and  means  reclined  : 
the  Eastern  custom  of  lying  down  with  the  head  resting 
on  the  left  arm,  and  so  partaking  of  their  meals,  had  been 
introduced  into  Palestine,  and  was  common  at.  this  time. 
The  reclining  tables  were  disposed  around  a  hollow 
square,  open  on  one  side,  from  which  the  servants  waited 
on  the  guests. 

yj,  '^.  And  behold,  a  woman  which  was  in  the  city,  a  sinner ;  and  when 
she  knew  tlaat  he  was  sitting  at  meat  in  the  Pharisee's  house,  she  brought 
an  alabaster  cruse  of  ointment,  and  standing  behind  at  his  feet,  weeping, 
she  began  to  wet  his  feet  with  her  tears,  and  wiped  them  with  the  hair  of 
her  head,  and  kissed  his  feet,  and  anointed  them  with  the  ointment. 

37,  38.  Now  a  notable  scene  occurred  which  has  been 
deemed  worthy  a  place  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures.  Behold, 
a  woman  in  the  city,  whom,  probably,  we  would  call  a 
woman  of  the  town,  known  to  all  as  a  sinner,  made  her 
way  into  the  house  and  hall  of  the  feast.  A  man's  house, 
in  those  days  and  places,  we  are  told,  was  not  his  castle. 
He  lived  with  almost  open  doors,  according  to  the  every- 
where prevalent  laws  of  hospitality  ;  and  this  was  espe- 
cially so  when  an  entertainment  was  going  on.  The 
presence,  therefore,  of  uninvited  persons,  sitting  on 
benches  around  the  room,  was  not  uncommon;  and  the 
same  thing  has  been  noticed  by  travellers  at  a  later  day. 
So,  when  she  knew  that  he  was  sitting  at  meat  in  the 
Pharisee's  house,  this  poor  woman,  who  had  evidently 


156  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vii.37,  38. 

not  only  heard  of  Him,  but  had  herself  heard  Him — 
perhaps  heard  those  gracious  words  of  broad  invitation, 
spoken  shortly  before  this  (Matt.  xi.  28-30),  "  Come  unto 
me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest," — and,  hearing,  had  believed  and  found  a  sense 
of  forgiveness  poured  into  her  sad  heart,  now  boldly 
made  her  way  to  the  Pharisee's  house,  and  found  no  dif- 
ficulty in  gaining  admittance.  True,  for  a  woman  to  come 
thus  was  out  of  place  ;  but,  besides  having  become  ac- 
customed to  unwomanly  boldness,  she  never  thought  of 
that ;  she  made  nothing  of  appearances  ;  her  heart  was  so 
full  of  getting  near  to  the  Saviour  and  of  hearing  from 
His  lips  the  blessing  her  poor  heart  had  already  so  deeply 
felt,  that  she  thought  of  nothing  else.  She  brought  an 
alabaster  cruse  of  ointment  along,  such  as  she  had  been 
wont  to  use  ;  costly,  for  only  such  Avas  wont  to  be  kept  in 
those  vases  of  gypsum,  called  here  "alabaster,"  and 
standing  behind  at  his  feet,  more  in  sight  of  many  of  the 
others  at  table  than  of  the  Lord  Himself.  Before  she  had 
time  to  break  the  box  of  ointment  on  His  feet,  her  full 
heart  broke  out  in  tears,  and  she  was  weeping,  and  the 
falling  tears  began  to  wet  his  feet,  bare  and  unsandalled 
as  they  lay  before  her.  Seeing  this  she  wiped  them  with 
the  hair  of  her  head,  which  fell  in  loose  profusion  in  a  way 
that  a  woman  who  had  been  thinking  of  her  appearance 
and  reputation  would  not  have  allowed.  Stier  says 
slaves  were  wont  to  wipe  their  master's  feet  with  their 
tresses.  And  kissed  his  feet  from  time  to  time,  and 
anointed  them  with  the  ointment,  the  thing  she  had 
come  expressly  to  do.  She  did  all  this  quietly,  and  too 
much  occupied  to  notice  any  eyes  that  were  gazing  at  her. 
Moreover,  Jesus  seems  not  to  have  taken  notice  of  what 
the  woman  was  doing.  He  was  waiting  for  the  proper 
time  for  this. 


vii.  39,  40.]  CHAPTER  VII.  157 

39.  Now  when  the  Pharisee  which  had  bidden  him  saw  it,  he  spake 
within  himself,  saying,  This  man,  if  he  were  a  prophet,  would  have  per- 
ceived who  and  what  manner  of  woman  this  is  which  toucheth  him,  that 
she  is  a  sinner. 

39.  But  His  host,  the  Pharisee,  whose  position  at  the 
head  of  the  table  gave  him  opportunity  to  observe  what 
was  passing,  was  mentally  taking  notes,  and  coming  to  a 
more  decided  opinion  concerning  Jesus.  This  man,  said 
he  to  himself,  if  he  were  a  prophet,  as  some  say,  would 
have  perceived  {ivould  perceive)  — for  the  prophets  were 
supposed  to  know  intuitively  everything  secret — who  and 
what  manner  of  person  (her  character")  the  woman  is 
which  toucheth  him,  that  she  is  a  sinner,  well  known  as 
such.  But  before  the  occasion  was  over  Simon  found  He 
knew  not  only  this,  but  the  secret  thoughts  of  the  heart. 
Simon  would  have  felt  polluted  by  her  touch  as  though 
she  were  a  leper;  and  he  did  not  know  that  Jesus  was 
a  Saviour. 

How  reputation  sticks  to  people.  This  woman  was 
known  as  a  "sinner."  Society  had  no  room  for  her:  the 
leaders  of  the  Jewish  church  gathered  up  their  robes  from 
contact  with  her.  But  Jesus  came  to  save,  to  save  sinners. 
There  was  her  hope  and  her  salvation. 

"She  is  a  sinner  !  "  Then  let  her  come  to  Jesus  ;  for 
He  came  to  seek  and  save  that  which  was  lost,  to  call, 
not  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance  (ch.  v.  32). 

40.  And  Jesus  answering  said  unto  him,  Simon,  I  have  somewhat  to  say 
unto  thee.     And  he  saith.  Master,  say  on. 

40.  Though  nothing  had  yet  been  said,  Jesus  knew 
what  was  passing  in  Simon's  thought — such  knowl- 
edge being  one  proof  of  His  being  all  He  professed  to  be 
— and  answering  his  thought,  invited  his  personal  atten- 
tion by  the  words,  Simon,  I  have  somewhat  to  say  unto 
thee,  and  then  proceeded  to   utter  a  parable  in  which, 


158  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vii.  40-43. 

kindly  yet  pointedly,  the  host  and  the  uninvited  guest  were 
compared  to  the  advantage  of  the  latter.  Simon's 
Master  (Teacher),  say  on,  indicates  the  Pharisee's  willing- 
ness to  hear,  and  a  mind  still  open  to  conviction  respect- 
ing this  Jesus. 

41,  42.  A  certain  lender  had  two  debtors :  the  one  owed  five  hundred 
pence,  and  the  other  fifty.  When  they  had  not  whereiuith  to  pay,  he  for- 
gave them  both.     Which  of  them  therefore  will  love  him  most .'' 

41,  42.  A  certain  lender  and  two  debtors  are  the  per- 
sons of  this  parable.  Of  these  one  was  ten  times  as 
much  in  debt  as  the  other.  The  word  pence  seems  to 
have  been  used  by  the  translators  for  want  of  an 
English  word  of  equivalent  value  to  the  Greek  denario7i. 
The  larger  amount  was  about  $70  of  our  money,  and  the 
smaller  $7.  The  debtors  were  both  alike  in  that  they 
had  not  wherewith  to  pay  their  debts  :  they  were  utterly 
bankrupt,  had  no  assets.  Whereupon  the  creditor  freely 
forgave  them  both,  cancelled  their  indebtedness.  Then 
Simon  was  asked  to  decide  the  question,  which  of  them, 
these  forgiven  debtors,  will  love  and  esteem  him,  the 
gracious  creditor,  most? 

43.  Simon  answered,  and  said,  He,  I  suppose,  to  whom  he  forgave  the 
most.     And  he  said  unto  him,  Thou  hast  rightly  judged. 

43.  I  suppose,  answered  Simon,  not  seeing  as  yet  the 
application  of  the  parable,  he  to  whom  he  forgave  the 
most :  and  the  Master  pronounced  the  matter  rightly 
judged.  Love  is  here  shown  to  come  after  and  as  a  con- 
sequence of  forgiveness.  Is  not  this  the  reason  why  in 
our  Order  of  Worship  we  first  confess  our  transgressions 
unto  the  Lord  and  receive  assurance  of  His  forgiveness, 
and  then  our  love  glows  in  glorious  songs  and  hallelujahs  ? 

44-46.  And  turning  unto  the  woman,  he  said  unto  Simon,  Seest  thou 
this  woman  ?     I  entered  into  thine  house,  thou  gavest  me  no  water  for  my 


VII.  44-46.]  CHAPTER  VII.  159 

feet :  but  she  hath  wetted  my  feet  with  her  tears,  and  wiped  them  with  her 
hair.  Thou  gavest  me  no  kiss:  but  she,  since  the  time  I  came  in,  hath 
not  ceased  to  kiss  my  feet.  My  head  with  oil  thou  didst  not  anoint :  but 
she  hath  anointed  my  feet  with  ointment. 

44-46.  Thereupon  Jesus  turned  to  the  woman,  still 
behind  Him,  bent  over  His  feet  in  tears  :  the  mere  turn- 
ing of  His  head  would  enable  Him  to  see  her  and  point 
to  her.  No  doubt,  when  the  Master  began  to  speak,  she 
listened  eagerly,  though  with  bowed  head.  But  not  to 
her  at  first  were  the  Lord's  words  addressed.  The 
parable  was  for  the  host :  And  he  said  unto  Simon,  Seest 
thou  this  woman  ?  Her  of  whom  Simon  was  ashamed,  her 
whom  Simon  disdained,  whose  bestowals  of  affection  on 
Jesus'  feet  and  permitted  touch  Simon  thought  discredited 
Jesus'  claim  as  a  prophet,  her,  the  sinner,  Jesus  now  makes 
the  observed  of  all  in  the  room,  and  is  none  ashamed  of 
her  bearing  toward  Him.  This  woman  the  Master  sets 
before  them  all  as  a  teacher,  even  of  the  Pharisee,  Simon. 
Seest  thou,  then,  this  woman  ?  Look  at  her  now,  and 
at  what  she  has  done  ;  and  compare  thyself  with  her  !  I 
entered  into  thine  house,  an  invited  guest  ;  it  was  thine 
to  show  acts  of  hospitality,  ordinary  or  extraordinary. 
But  thou  wast  sparing  in  friendship's  offices.  Thou 
gavest  me  no  water  for  my  feet :  but  she  hath  wetted 
(see  on  ver,  38)  my  feet  with  her  tears,  a  heartsome  flood, 
and  wiped  them  with  her  hair,  laying  her  glory  (i  Cor. 
xi.  15)  at  my  feet,  a  willing  servant.  Thou  gavest  me 
no  kiss,  that  common  mode  of  salutation  and  welcome 
among  men — and  so  easily  given — but  she,  since  the  time 
I  came  in,  hath  not  ceased  to  kiss  my  feet.  Thou 
gavest  me  not  one  kiss  upon  my  face  ;  but  she  has  been 
for  quite  a  while  repeating  her  kisses  on  my  feet.  My 
head  with  oil  thou  didst  not  anoint,  as  is  the  custom  to 
anoint  a  much  esteemed  and  highly  honored  guest.     But 


l6o  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vir.  46,  47. 

she  hath  anointed  my  feet  with  ointment  more  precious 
than  oil.  Thou  hast  not  gone  far  in  acts  of  hospitality ; 
thou  didst  barely  invite  me,  but  hast  not  esteemed  me. 
But  see,  in  contrast,  what  this  woman  thou  despisest  has 
done. 

47.  Wherefore  I  say  unto  thee,  Her  sins,  which  are  many,  are  forgiven; 
for  she  loved  much  :  but  to  whom  little  is  forgiven,  tlic  same  loveth  little. 

47.  Now  how  is  it  thou  hast  been  so  saving  in  thy 
bestowals,  and  she  so  lavish.?  How  is  it  the  uninvited 
guest,  a  woman,  a  sinner,  has  outdone  Simon  the  Phar- 
isee, and  that  in  his  own  house  ?  I  say  unto  thee  how  it 
is;  the  parable  just  spolien  explains  it  ;  her  sins,  which 
are  many,  are  forgiven ;  therefore  she  loved  much,  so 
much  that  she  viust  express  it  somehow ;  and  here  in  thy 
house  has  been  the  expression  of  it  !  It  is  the  soise  of 
forgiven  sin,  of  great  sin,  of  viiicIl  sin,  but  now  forgiven^ 
that  has  called  forth  these,  to  thee  unseemly,  but  to  me 
precious,  acts  of  devotion.  But  to  whom  little  is  for= 
given,  whose  sense  of  benefit  is  small,  he  loveth  little  ; 
his  love  is  comparatively  cold,  and  finds  little  expression. 
So  hast  thou  judged,  Simon;  and  so  it  is  with  respect  to 
thee  and  this  woman.  She,  a  great  sinner,  has  found  a 
great  Saviour,  and  her  heart  is  surcharged  with  His  love  ; 
but  thou,  with  perhaps  less  open  acts  of  sin  to  be  charged 
against  thee,  and  with  still  less  sense  of  the  true  nature 
of  sin  and  of  the  depth  of  thine  own  depravity,  thou 
feelest  little  need  of  a  Saviour,  thou  lovest  little !  There 
are  sinners  and  sinners.  Blessed  be  God  that  there  are 
forgiven  sinners  !  'Tis  better  to  be  a  penitent  sinner  than 
a  proud,  self-satisfied  Pharisee.  There's  much  hope  for 
the  former,  very  little  for  the  latter. 

It  is  God's  forgiving  love  that  brings  us  to  love  God. 
"  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up   from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men 


VII.  47-50-]  CHAPTER   VII.  i6i 

unto   me  "  (John   xii.   32).      "  We  love  him   because  he 
first  loved  us  "  (i  John  iv.  10,  19). 

48.  And  he  said  unto  her,  Thy  sins  are  forgiven. 

48.  All  this  while  nothing  had  as  yet  been  said  to  the 
woman.  She  stood  there  a  most  impressive  object-lesson, 
explained  by  the  Master.  But  now  her  turn  was  come, 
to  hear  from  the  Saviour's  own  lips  that  absolution  which 
she  had  felt  in  her  heart  before  she  entered  Simon's 
house.  Thy  sins  are  forgiven.  She  had  not  been  mis- 
taken in  thinking  so  ;  it  is  the  great  fact  of  her  life. 
What  He  had  just  said  (ver.  47)  of  her  He  now  says  to 
her,  reassuring  her  faith.  The  word  rendered  "  are 
forgiven  "  is  an  irregular  and  peculiar  form,  which  very 
excellent  critics  regard  as  the  perfect  tense,  a  tense 
denoting  a  past  action  whose  effects  continue.  The 
"  wherefore  "  at  the  beginning  of  ver.  47  does  not  give  a 
reason  why  her  sins  were  forgiven,  but  introduces  the 
reason  for  her  expressions  of  love. 

49,  50.  And  they  that  sat  at  meat  with  him  began  to  say  within  them- 
selves, Who  is  this  that  even  forgiveth  sins  ?  And  he  said  unto  the 
woman,  Thy  faith  hath  saved  tlaee  ;  go  in  peace. 

49,  50.  There  were  others  at  the  table,  and  they  began 
to  say  within  themselves,  Who  is  this  that  even  for= 
giveth  sins  ?  They  were  amazed  ;  for  it  was  well  under- 
stood that  none  could  forgive  sins  but  God.  Now  He 
who  knew  the  woman's  heart  and  Simon's  thought  was 
not  unaware  of  what  was  passing  in  their  minds.  They 
were  right  in  thinking  none  could  forgive  sins  but  God  ; 
yet  Jesus  drew  not  back  from  such  assumption  of  power, 
but  said  to  the  woman,  Thy  faith  (not  "  thy  works,"  or 
"  thy  love  ")  hath  saved  thee  ;  go  in  (literally,  into)  peace. 
Faith,  forgiveness,  peace  !     We  enter  into  peace  through 


1 62  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vii.  49,  50. 

forgiveness  ;  we  gain  forgiveness  through  faith  in  Christ 
Jesus  ;  there  is  no  peace  to  the  impenitent,  unforgiven 
sinner. 

In  the  parable  above  God  is  the  creditor,  and  man  the 
debtor ;  no  man  can  ever  pay  the  debt  of  his  sins  ;  but 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  undertakes  to  forgive  the  debt,  thereby 
clearly  enough  professing  to  be  God.  "  Jesus  paid  it  all." 
And  so  Paul  (2  Cor.  v.  19)  sums  up  the  Gospel,  "To  wit, 
that  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  him- 
self, not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them."  As  to 
difference  of  debt,  we  may  say  there  are  degrees  of  sin- 
fulness in  act,  though  all  men  have  the  same  depraved 
nature.  But  it  is  not  always  the  greatest  sinner  that  has 
the  greatest  sense  of  sin  ;  often  quite  otherwise.  The 
whole  tenor  of  the  parable  shows  that  reference  is  to 
acknowledged  debt,  sin  knoivn  and  felt,  and  sense  of  for- 
giveness— not  so  much  to  abstract  guilt  and  pardon. 

"  Though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white 
as  snow "  (Is.  i.  18).  "If  we  confess  our  sins,  God  is 
faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us 
from  all  unrighteousness  "  (i  John  i.  9).  "  There  is  forgive- 
ness with  thee  that  thou  mayest  be  feared  "  (Ps.  cxxx.  4). 
Hence  we  may  say  in  the  creed,  "I  believe  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins." 

The  woman  of  the  above  narrative  brought  an  alabaster 
box  of  ointment ;  perhaps  you  can  bring  a  box  of  gold, 
of  silver,  of  clothing  to  expend  upon  Christ's  church  in 
Missions,  Education,  Church  Extension,  the  Orphans' 
Home.  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  unto  one  of  these  my 
brethren,  even  these  least,  ye  did  it  unto  me,"  the  Lord 
A^ill  say  at  the  last  (Matt.  xxv.  40). 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

1-3.  And  it  came  to  pass  soon  afterwards,  that  he  went  about  through 
cities  and  villages,  preaching  and  bringing  the  good  tidings  of  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  with  him  the  twelve,  and  certain  women  which  had  been  healed 
of  evil  spirits  and  infirmities,  Mary  that  was  called  Magdalene,  from  whom 
seven  devils  had  gone  out,  and  Joanna  the  wife  of  Chuza  Herod's  steward, 
and  Susanna,  and  many  others,  which  ministered  unto  them  of  their  sub- 
stance. 

1.  Soon  afterwards.  After  the  feast  in  Simon's  house 
where  the  "  sinner  "  was  the  object  lesson.  He  went 
about  continuously  through  city  and  village,  from  place 
to  place,  in  a  second  (see  on  v.  43,  44)  circuit  of  Gali- 
lee, preaching  and  bringing  good  tidings.  "  He  went 
about  doing  good  "  (Acts  x.  38). 

2.  This  time  the  twelve,  who  had  been  chosen  during 
the  first  circuit  (iv.  42-44)  were  with  Him,  and  certain 
women  (here  first  introduced),  whose  gratitude  for  hav= 
ing  been  healed  led  them  to  this  service.  Luke,  the 
physician,  here,  as  usually,  distinguishes  between  evil 
spirits  and  other  infirmities,  sicknesses.  This  Mary  was 
called  Magdalene  because  she  was  from  Magdala  or  Mag- 
dalan  (Magadan,  Matt.  xv.  39)  on  the  west  side  of  the 
sea  of  Galilee,  and  to  distinguish  her  from  the  many 
other  Marys.  Seven  devils  (demons)  had  gone  out  of 
her  at  Jesus'  word.  (See  on  Mark  i.  23  ;  v.  9 ;  xvi.  9,  and 
Exc.  ii.  p.  383,  Vol.  I.,  and,  above,  introduction,  after  ver. 
35,  to  preceding  narrative.  Comp.  the  case  of  the  man 
of  Gadara,  vers.  36-39  of  this  chapter.) 

163 


i64  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [viii.  3. 

3.  We  know  nothing  of  Joanna  more  than  is  here 
given  (comp.  xxiv.  10)  nor  of  Susanna.  Some  suppose,- 
but  without  proof,  that  Herod  (Antipas)  's  steward  was 
the  "  nobleman  "  of  John  iv.  46-54.  Many  others  there 
were  with  them,  not  here  named.  These  women  minis= 
tered  (the  original  word  is  the  verbal  form  of  that  from 
which  we  get  our  word  "  deacon  "  and  "  deaconess  ")  to 
them,  Jesus  and  the  twelve,  of  their  substance,  of  what 
they  had  that  could  be  made  serviceable  to  the  needs  of 
those  they  ministered  to.  Bengel  says,  "  It  was  a 
Jewish  custom  for  women,  especially  widows,  to  aid 
public  teachers  from  their  private  property,  and  therefore 
to  accompany  them  on  their  journeys."  Van  Oost. 
thinks  these  women  must  "  for  the  most  part  have  be- 
longed to  the  well-circumstanced  higher  class,  since  the 
here-mentioned  ministration  doubtless  consisted  princi- 
pally in  support  rendered  to  earthly  necessities  from 
their  property." 

The  presence  of  these  and  other  women  at  the  cruci- 
fixion is  noted  by  Matthew  (xxvii.  55,  56),  Mark  (xv.  40, 
41),  Luke  (xxiii.  49),  and  John  (xix.  25).  See  also  Matt, 
xxvii.  61;  xxviii.  i-io;  Mark  xv.  47;  xvi.  1-8;  Luke 
xxiii.  55,  56;  xxiv.  i-ii,  22,  23;  John  xx.  i,  2,  11-18. 
Woman's  emancipation  and  love  and  service  to  Christ 
was  beginning.  Now,  at  the  close  of  the  nineteenth 
century  her  loving  service  is  taking  new  forms  and  beau- 
tifully abounding. 

4-15.  And  when  a  great  multitude  came  together,  and  they  of  every  city 
resorted  unto  him,  he  spake  by  a  parable :  Tl\e  sower  went  forth  to  sow  his 
seed :  and  as  he  sowed,  some  fell  by  the  wayside  ;  and  it  was  trodden  un- 
der foot,  and  the  birds  of  the  heaven  devoured  it.  And  other  fell  on  the 
rock ;  and  as  soon  as  it  grew,  it  withered  away,  because  it  had  no  moisture. 
And  other  fell  amidst  the  thorns  ;  and  the  thorns  grew  with  it,  and  choked 
it.  And  other  fell  into  the  good  ground,  and  grew,  and  brought  forth  fruit 
a  hundredfold.     As  he  said  these  things,  he  cried,  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear, 


VIII.  4-10.]  CHAPTER  VIII.  j5c 

let  him  hear.  And  his  disciples  asked  him  what  this  parable  might  be. 
And  he  said,  Unto  you  it  is  given  to  know  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of 
God :  but  to  the  rest  in  parables  ;  that  seeing  they  may  not  see,  and  hearing 
they  may  not  understand.  Now  the  parable  is  this  :  The  seed  is  the  word  of 
God.  And  those  by  the  wayside  are  they  that  have  heard ;  then  cometh  the 
devil,  and  taketh  away  the  word  from  their  heart,  that  they  may  not  believe 
and  be  saved.  And  those  on  the  rock  are  they  which,  when  they  have 
heard,  receive  the  word  with  joy ;  and  these  have  no  root,  which  for  a  while 
believe,  and  in  time  of  temptation  fall  away.  And  that  which  fell  among 
the  thorns,  these  are  they  that  have  heard,  and  as  they  go  on  their  way 
they  are  choked  with  cares  and  riches  and  pleasures  of  this  life,  and  bring 
no  fruit  to  perfection.  And  that  in  the  good  ground,  these  are  such  as  in  an 
honest  and  good  heart,  having  heard  the  word,  hold  it  fast,  and  bring  forth 
fruit  with  patience. 

See  Prcl.  Obs,  to  Matt,  xiii.,  p.  306,  Vol.  I.  Also  for 
comment  on  the  parable  of  the  Sower  see  on  Matt.  xiii. 
1-23  ;  Mark  iv.  1-25. 

4.  A  parable.  Luke,  whose  habit  is  to  be  concise, 
gives  here  only  one  parable,  whilst  Matthew  groups 
seven  together  in  his  narrative. 

5.  Trodden  under  foot,  a  thing  most  likely  on  the 
pathway  through  the  fields,  is  an  item  added  by  Luke, 

6.  The  rock  is  explained  by  Matthew  and  Mark  as 
"  rocky  places,"  where  the  soil  was  thin  ;  it  could  hold 
no  moisture.  The  consequence  was  a  ready  start  and  a 
speedy  scorching  and  withering. 

7.  Matthew  says  "  upon,"  Mark  "  among,"  Luke 
amidst,  the  thorns  ;  and  Luke  notes  the  thorns  as  grow- 
ing with  the  seed  sown. 

8.  Luke  allows  the  maximum  yield,  a  hundredfold,  to 
stand  for  all  the  yields.  Ears  are  meant  to  hear,  though 
they  do  not  always  truly  serve  this  purpose. 

9.  The  statements  of  the  different  Evangelists  about 
the  disciples'  questioning  vary  but  agree  substantially, 
especially  when  taken  with  their  reports  of  Jesus'  answer. 

10.  The  rest  are  explained  by  Matthew  and  Mark  as 


1 66  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [viii.  10-15. 

"  them  "  (the  people  in  general)  and  "  them  that  are 
without,"  not  in  the  circle  of  Jesus'  disciples.  There  are 
mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  those  in  that 
kingdom  may  know  as  others  may  not.  (Comp.  John 
vii.  17.)  That  seeing,  etc.,  Matthew  says  "because  see- 
ing," etc.  What  Matthew  represents  as  a  fact  and  a 
cause,  Mark  and  Luke  represent  as  a  judgment.  People 
are  often,  in  judgment,  left  to  the  way  they  have  chosen. 
Judicial  blindness  and  want  of  other  sense  is  a  sad  con- 
dition. 

11.  Even  here  the  substantive  verb — is  and  are — is 
not  to  be  weakened  into  "represents,"  although  a  parable 
is  a  similitude.  The  seed  well  sets  forth  the  word  of  God, 
since  each  has  in  it,  by  the  divine  Spirit,  the  germ  of 
life,  one  in  the  natural  world,  the  other  in  the  spiritual 
(John  vi.  63,  68  ;   Heb.  iv.  12). 

12.  The  devil,  Matthew  says  "the  evil  one,"  Mark 
"  Satan."  His  purpose,  in  accordance  with  his  nature 
(John  viii.  44),  is,  that  they  may  not  believe  and  (so)  be 
saved.     (See  the  need  of  watchfulness  !) 

13.  The  temptation  comes  from  "tribulation  or  perse- 
cution "  (Matt.,  Mark),  and  they  so  "  stumble  "  as  to  fall 
away,  stand  aloof,  from  the  gospel. 

14.  As  they  go  on  their  way,  coming  under  the  influ- 
ence of  cares,  riches  and  pleasures  presented  by  this  life, 
by  them  they  are  spiritually  choked,  so  that  they  bring 
no  fruit  to  perfection — there  is  no  maturing  of  fruit  from 
the  good  seed  sown.  This  is  disappointing  to  both  men 
and  God. 

15.  The  honest  and  good  heart  is  that  which  under- 
stands (Matt.)  the  word  and  accepts  (Luke)  it,  and  there 
holds  it  fast  persistently  unto  and  until  fruitfulness. 
The  word  abides  in  the  heart  and  the  heart  abides  by 
the  word — with  patience  (J  as.  v.  7). 


VIII.  i6-i8.]  CHAPTER  VIIT.  167 

16-1S.  And  no  man,  when  he  hath  lighted  a  lamp,  covereth  it  with  a 
vessel,  or  putteth  it  under  a  bed  ;  but  putteth  it  on  a  stand,  that  they  which 
enter  in  may  see  the  light.  For  nothing  is  hid,  that  shall  not  be  made  mani- 
fest ;  nor  anytJiing  secret,  that  shall  not  be  known  and  come  to  light.  Take 
heed  therefore  how  ye  hear :  for  whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given  ; 
and  whosoever  hath  not,  from  him  shall  be  taken  away  even  that  which  he 
thinketh  he  hath. 

See  on  Mark  iv.  21-25. 

16.  See  Matt.  v.  15.  Light  is  made  to  shine.  Chris- 
tians are  to  be  bearers  of  hght.  In  relation  to  the  pre- 
ceding parable  the  application  is,  that  the  word  is  to 
remain  in  the  heart  and  shine  forth  in  the  life  ;  it  is  not 
to  fail  to  hold  its  ground  in  time  of  temptation  ;  and  is 
not  to  be  covered  over  by  riches  and  cares  of  life  ;  fruit- 
fulness  is  the  shining  forth  of  the  light. 

17.  See  Matt.  x.  26,  27.  God  is  light  ;  God  makes 
manifest,  and  what  is  hid,  as,  e.  g.  in  parables,  shall  in 
due  time  be  made  manifest.  Accordingly  we  are  to  in- 
quire into  secret  things,  that  for  us  and  others  they  may 
come  to  light.  Dig,  delve,  enter  into  the  word,  that  its 
light  may  to  you,  and  through  you,  increasingly  break 
forth. 

18.  See  Matt.  xiii.  10;  xxv.  29.  Mark  the  therefore. 
For  this  reason  take  heed  ;  for  upon  the  how  ye  hear 
depends  whether  you  will  get  and  be  able  to  give  any- 
thing. Then  follows  the  law  by  which  heedfulness  gets, 
and  so  is  able  to  give,  more  and  more,  whilst  heedlessness 
loses  even  what  one  thinketh  he  hath.  There  is  great 
need  of  this  warning  ;  for  there  are  many  heedless  hear- 
ers, who  sit  in  God's  house  when  His  word  is  read  and 
preached,  and  get  no  more  than  silly  birds  that  sit  on 
the  telegraph  wires  and  know  nothing  of  the  important 
messages  that  are  passing  under  their  feet. 

19-21.     And  there  came  to  him  his  mother  and  brethren,  and  they  could 


i68  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [viii.  19-21. 

not  come  at  him  for  the  crowd.  And  it  was  told  him,  Thy  mother  and  thy 
brethren  stand  without,  desiring  to  see  thee.  But  he  answered  and  said 
unto  them,  My  mother  and  my  brethren  are  these  which  hear  the  word  of 
God,  and  do  it. 

See  on  Matt.  xii.  46-50  and  Mark.  iii.  31-35  ;  and  comp. 
Matt.  xiii.  54-57. 

On  the  relationship  sustained  to  Jesus  by  those  who 
are  here  called  "  brothers,"  see  on  Matt.  xiii.  55,  and  on 
Mark  iii.  31,  note.  We  prefer  the  view  pronounced  in 
this  latter  reference  the  best,  and  as  held  by  modern 
exegetical  scholars. 

19-20.  Luke  says  brethren,  or  brothers  (as  it  would 
better  be  rendered  in  English),  and  though  the  Greek 
aozkfois  is  sometimes  used  for  other  relationships,  what 
we  understand  by  "  brother  "  (and  in  Matt.  xiii.  56  we 
have  its  cognate,  **  sisters  ")  is  its  first  and  natural  mean- 
ing, from  which  there  is  no  sufficient  reason  here  to 
depart.  So  good  a  Greek  scholar  as  Luke  knew  the 
proper  word  for  cousin  (ai-c^'-tw^),  and  would  have  used  it 
if  he  meant  it. 

Here  it  is  distinctly  stated  that  the  inability  of  Jesus' 
relatives  to  get  near  Him  was  because  of  the  crowd. 

21.  Luke's  account  particularizes  in  these,  viz.  the 
disciples  then  present.  Jesus'  own  brothers  did  not  be- 
lieve on  Him  at  this  time.  Spiritual  relationships  are  the 
ones  that  avail  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 

22-25.  Now  it  came  to  pass  on  one  of  those  days,  that  he  entered  into 
a  boat,  himself  and  his  disciples;  and  he  said  unto  them,  Let  us  go  over 
unto  the  other  side  of  the  lake:  and  they  launched  forth.  But  as  they 
sailed  he  fell  asleep :  and  there  came  down  a  storm  of  wind  on  the  lake ; 
and  they  were  filling  with  water,  and  were  in  jeopardy.  And  they  came  to 
him,  and  awoke  him,  saying,  Master,  master,  we  perish.  And  he  awoke, 
and  rebuked  the  wind  and  the  raging  of  the  water:  and  they  ceased,  and 
there  was  a  calm.  And  he  said  unto  them.  Where  is  your  faith  "i  And  be- 
ing afraid  they  marvelled,  saying  one  to  another,  Who  then  is  this,  that  he 
commandeth  even  the  winds  and  the  water,  aj;id  they  obey  him  ? 


VIII.  22-25.]  CHAPTER  VIIL  169 

See  on  Matt.  viii.  18-27;  Mark  iv.  35-41. 

22.  On  one  of  those  [the]  days.  The  connection  is  not 
as  close  here  as  in  Matthew  and  Mark.  From  the  two  lat- 
ter also  we  learn  the  reason  of  their  embarkation.  There 
were  great  crowds  about  them,  it  was  late,  and  the  Lord 
had  need  of  rest. 

23.  He  fell  asleep.  For  as  true  man  He  had  the  normal 
weaknesses  and  necessities  of  man,  though  He  was  with- 
out sin.  By  a  common  figure  that  is  said  of  them  which 
refers  properly  to  the  boat — they  were  filling  with  water 
through  the  waves  that  repeatedly  broke  over  them 
(Matt.).  They  were  really  in  jeopardy,  humanly  speak- 
ing. 

24.  The  variations  in  the  calls  upon  the  Lord,  as  re- 
ported by  the  different  writers,  may  be  ascribed  to  the 
different  calls  made  by  several  disciples  in  their  terror : 
one  said  one  thing ;  another,  another ;  and  probably 
several  spoke  at  the  same  time. 

25.  Where  is  your  faith  ?  Trying  times  prove  our 
faith.  These  disciples  had  some  faith,  but  it  was  still 
feeble.  Faith  triumphs  over  fear,  that  is,  when  there  is 
real  ground  for  fear.  Here  was  a  great  epiphany  of  Jesus 
as  Lord  of  nature. 

26-39.  And  they  arrived  at  the  country  of  the  Gerasenes,  which  is  over 
against  Galilee.  And  when  he  was  come  forth  upon  the  land,  there  met 
him  a  certain  man  out  of  the  city,  who  had  devils ;  and  for  a  long  time  he 
had  worn  no  clothes,  and  abode  not  in  any  house,  but  in  the  tombs.  And 
when  he  saw  Jesus,  he  cried  out,  and  fell  down  before  him,  and  with  a  voice 
said,  What  have  I  to  do  with  thee  Jesus,  thou  Son  of  the  Most  High  God  ? 
I  beseech  thee,  torment  me  not.  For  he  commanded  the  unclean  spirit  to 
come  out  from  the  man.  For  oftentimes  it  had  seized  him  :  and  he  was 
kept  under  guard,  and  bound  with  chains  and  fetters  ;  and  breaking  the 
bands  asunder,  he  was  driven  of  the  devil  into  the  deserts.  And  Jesus 
asked  him,  What  is  thy  name  ?  And  he  said,  Legion ;  for  many  devils 
were  entered  into  him.  And  they  intreated  him  that  he  would  not  com- 
mand them   to   depart  into   the  abyss.     Now   there  was  there  a  herd  of 


170  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [viii.  26-28. 

many  swine  feeding  on  the  mountain  :  and  tlieyintreated  liim  that  he  would 
give  tliem  leave  to  enter  into  them.  And  he  gave  them  leave.  And  the 
devils  came  out  from  the  man,  and  entered  into  the  swine :  and  the  herd 
rushed  down  the  steep  into  the  lake,  and  were  choked.  And  when  they 
that  fed  them  saw  what  had  come  to  pass,  they  fled,  and  told  it  in  the  city 
and  in  the  country.  And  they  went  out  to  see  what  had  come  to  pass  ;  and 
they  came  to  Jesus,  and  found  the  man,  from  whom  the  devils  were  gone 
out,  sitting,  clothed  and  in  his  right  mind,  at  the  feet  of  Jesus :  and  they 
were  afraid.  And  they  that  saw  it  told  them  how  he  that  was  possessed 
with  devils  was  made  whole.  And  all  the  people  of  the  country  of  the 
Gerasenes  round  about  asked  him  to  depart  from  them ;  for  they  were 
holden  with  great  fear :  and  he  entered  into  a  boat,  and  returned.  But  the 
man  from  whom  the  devils  were  gone  out  prayed  him  that  he  might  be  with 
him  :  but  he  sent  him  away,  saying.  Return  to  thy  house,  and  declare  how 
great  things  God  hath  done  for  thee.  And  he  went  his  way,  publishing 
throughout  the  whole  city  how  great  things  Jesus  had  done  for  him. 


See  on  Matt.  viii.  28-34;  Mark,  v.  1-20. 

26.  Gerasenes.  Another  reading  is  Gcrgcscnes,  and 
Matthew  has  Gadarcncs.  "  The  long  famous  instance  of 
*  discrepancy  '  as  to  the //crrc  in  this  narrative  has  been 
cleared  up  in  recent  years  by  the  decision  of  textual 
critics  that  the  correct  text  in  Luke  is  Gerasenes,  as  well 
as  in  Mark,  and  by  Dr.  Thompson's  discovery  of  a  ruin 
on  the  lake  shore,  named  Khersa  (Gerasa).  If  this  vil- 
lage was  included  (a  very  natural  supposition)  in  the 
district  belonging  to  the  city  of  Gadara,  some  miles  south- 
eastward, then  the  locality  could  be  described  as  either 
in  the  country  of  the  Gadarenes,  or  in  the  country  of  the 
Gerasenes  "  (Broadus,  in  his  Harmony). 

27.  Out  of  the  city.  He  belonged  to  the  neighboring 
city,  though  his  customary  abode  was  not  in  any  house, 
but  in  the  tombs,  suitably  to  his  demonized  condition,  in 
consequence  of  which,  too,  he  was  without  clothes. 

28.  Fell  down,  in  awful  fear,  the  man  being  entirely 
controlled  by  the  demons  inhim.  (See  EXCURSUS  H.  p.  383, 
Vol.  I.,  and  p.  31,  Vol.  HI.,  on  Demoniacal   Possession.) 


VIII.  28-35-]  CHAPTER  VIII.  17 1 

Luke  says  beseech  thee  where  Mark  has  "  adjure  thee  by 
God."     Probably  both  utterances  were  used. 

29.  Oftentimes  Meyer  translates  "  during  a  long  time." 
Seized,  etc.,  shows  the  entire  possession  of  and  power 
over  the  man  exercised  by  the  demons,  superior  to  all 
bonds  and  compelling  the  human  being,  making  deserts 
more  congenial  to  him  than  abodes  of  men. 

31.  Acknowledging  Jesus'  authority  and  power,  they 
intreated  him.  Even  devils  can  make  request.  The 
abyss  evidently  means  hell,  the  demons'  own  place. 
They  were  abroad  by  sufferance. 

32.  They  would  rather  enter  the  swine  than  be  dispos- 
sessed and  sent  home  (?).  "  It  is  torment  to  demons  to 
have  no  body  either  of  man  or  beast  to  possess,  in  their 
desire  to   quench  their  own  consuming  fire  "  (Bengel). 

33.  But  they  miscalculated  this  time  :  for,  unable  to 
hold  the  soul-less  swine,  their  refuge  in  this  case  became 
their  ruin,  and  they  were  dispossessed  after  all !  Devils' 
prayers  are  always  selfish  prayers,  and  such  prayers 
answered  may  work  their  authors'  ruin. 

The  destruction  of  property  need  not  trouble  us.  God 
is  continually  allowing  Satan,  in  one  way  or  other,  by 
sickness,  calamity,  fraud,  to  take  away  not  only  men's 
property,  but  their  health,  their  loved  ones,  desired  gain, 
and  even  their  lives.  Even  the  best  Christians  are  not 
secure  from  loss  of  temporal  possessions  ;  and  why  should 
these  swine-herding  Gergesenes  be  ?  Moreover,  one 
human  soul  is  worth  more  than  two  thousand  swine,  and, 
if  God  allowed  it  to  be  tormented  by  demoniacal  posses- 
sion, we  need  not  wonder  that  He  allowed  them  to  be 
destroyed  in  the  sea. 

35.  Everything  about  the  man  now  showed  that  the 
devils  were  gone  out,  and  Luke  adds  his  posture  at  the 
feet  of  Jesus,  a  humble  learner. 


172  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [viii.  36-40. 

36.  Made  whole,  says  our  physician  author. 

37.  Luke  enlarges  the  scope  of  the  influence  of  the 
tidings  of  this  event  to  all  .  .  .  the  country  .  .  .  round 
about.  This  is  one  of  the  saddest  verses  in  all  the  Scrip- 
tures. And  he  .  .  .  returned.  Jesus  does  not  stay 
where  He  is  not  wanted  ! 

38.  The  redeemed,  cleansed  soul  desires  to  be  with 
Jesus.  Contrast  the  preceding  conduct  of  the  demons 
and  of  the  people  of  that  neighborhood. 

39.  God  :  Mark  says,  "  The  Lord: "  the  redeemed  man 
said  Jesus  :  tliey  are  one.  Here  was  an  early  and  earnest 
missionary.  He  is  the  best  preacher  who  speaks  from 
experience.  "  That  Jesus  did  not  here  forbid  the  diffu- 
sion of  the  matter  (see  Mark  v.  43  ;  Matt.  viii.  4),  but  en- 
joined it,  may  be  explained  from  the  locality  (Peraea), 
where  He  was  less  known,  and  where  concourse  around 
His  person  was  not  to  be  apprehended  as  in  Galilee" 
(Meyer).  The  history  just  related  gives  an  epiphany  of 
Jesus  as  Lord  of  demons. 

40.  And  as  Jesus  returned,  the  multitude  welcomed  him  ;  for  they  were 
all  waiting  for  him. 

40.  The  multitude  on  this  side,  westward,  was  differently 
disposed  toward  Jesus  from  that  on  the  farther  side. 
These  were  better  acquainted  with  Him  and  were  all 
waiting  for  him.     But  the  multitude  is  always  fickle. 

41-56.  And  behold,  there  came  a  man  named  Jairus,  and  he  was  a  ruler 
of  the  synagogue  :  and  he  fell  down  at  Jesus'  feet,  and  besought  him  to 
come  into  his  house;  for  he  had  an  only  daughter,  about  twelve  years  of 
age,  and  she  lay  a  dying.  But  as'he  went  the  multitudes  thronged  him. 
And  a  woman  having  an  issue  of  blood  twelve  years,  which  had  spent  all 
her  living  upon  physicians,  and  could  not  be  healed  of  any,  came  behind 
him,  and  touched  the  border  of  his  garment :  and  immediately  the  issue  of 
her  blood  stanched.  And  Jesus  said.  Who  is  it  that  touched  me  .^  And 
when  all  denied,  Peter  said,  and  they  that  were  with  him,  Master,  the  mul- 


VIII.  4I-44-]  CHAPTER  VIII.  173 

titudes  press  thee  and  crush  thee.  But  Jesus  said,  Some  one  did  touch  me  : 
for  I  perceived  that  power  had  gone  forth  from  me.  And  when  the  woman 
saw  that  she  was  not  hid,  she  came  trembUng,  and  falling  down  before  him 
declared  in  the  presence  of  all  the  people  for  what  cause  she  touched  him, 
and  how  she  was  healed  immediately.  And  he  said  unto  her,  Daughter, 
thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole  ;  go  in  peace.  While  he  yet  spake,  there 
Cometh  one  from  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue's  house,  saying.  Thy  daughter 
is  dead ;  trouble  not  the  Master.  But  Jesus  hearing  it,  answered  him,  Fear 
not :  only  believe,  and  she  shall  be  made  whole.  And  when  he  came  to  the 
house,  he  suffered  not  any  man  to  enter  in  with  him,  save  Peter,  and  John, 
and  James,  and  the  father  of  the  maiden  and  her  mother.  And  all  were 
weeping,  and  bewailing  her;  but  he  said.  Weep  not;  for  she  is  not  dead, 
but  sleepeth.  And  they  laughed  him  to  scorn,  knowing  that  she  was  dead. 
But  he,  taking  her  by  the  hand,  called,  saying,  Maiden,  arise.  And  her 
spirit  returned,  and  she  rose  up  immediately:  and  he  commanded  that 
somethmghe  given  her  to  eat.  And  her  parents  were  amazed:  but  he 
charged  them  to  tell  no  man  what  had  been  done. 

See  on  Matt.  ix.  18-26;  Mark  v.  22-43  5  Mark's  ac- 
count is  the  fullest. 

41.  The  Greek  form  of  the  name  shows  it  is  to  be  pro- 
nounced in  three  syllables — Ja=i=rus. 

42.  Luke  alone  says  she  was  an  only  daughter  and 
gives  her  age.  That  she  lay  a  dying  naturally  called  for 
haste  in  the  physician.  But  the  circumstances  following 
prevented  this,  and  doubtless  caused  the  father's  heart 
great  trial. 

43.  This  was  a  desperate  case,  that  could  not  be  healed 
of  any  earthly  physicians,  for  she  had,  in  addition  to  all 
that  she  had  suffered,  spent  all  her  living  upon  them  to 
no  curative  effect,  and  our  physician  author  does  not 
hesitate  to  tell  it. 

44.  There  was  but  one  hope  left.  No  case  had  yet 
been  too  hard  for  Jesus,  and  His  power  was  exercised 
"  without  money "  recompense.  She  had  faith  and, 
humbly  coming  behind  him,  touched  the  border  of  his 
garment,  probably  the  fringe  of  that  part  of  His  outer 
robe  that  hung  over  His  shoulder. 


174  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [viii.  45-51. 

45.  AH  denied,  probably  more  by  look  and  want  of 
words  than  by  anything  uttered.  None  as  yet  acknowl- 
edged the  act.  The  press  and  crush  of  the  multitudes 
was  not  what  Jesus  was  referring  to. 

46.  It  was  a  voluntary,  purposeful  touch  which  drew 
forth  that  inherent  power  which  belonged  to  Jesus'  person 
(not  His  clothes),  and  the  going  forth  of  which  was  not 
without  His  knowledge. 

47.  5aw  she  was  not  hid.  (See  viii.  17.)  God  seeth  in 
secret,  and  rewardeth  openly.  Faith  must  not  hide,  but 
shine  forth  in  testimony  to  Him  who  produces  it.  We 
must  confess  our  faith. 

48.  And  see  what  faith  can  do,  that  is,  be  the  means 
of.  Go  in  [into]  peace.  Find  and  rejoice  in  a  new  con- 
dition— of  peace. 

49.  50.  Meanwhile  Jairus'  fears  were  realized.  A  mes- 
senger from  his  house  brought  the  sad  tidings  that  his 
only  daughter,  whom  he  had  left  at  the  point  of  death, 
was  dead  and  all  was  over  in  her  case.  But  Jesus,  though 
He  heard  the  report,  was  not  of  that  mind,  and  cheered 
the  father  with  the  encouraging  word  that  she  should  yet 
be  made  whole,  saved  out  of  death,  if  he  would  only 
believe.  A  greater  boon  would  be  secured  by  his  faith 
than  had  just  been  won  by  the  timid  woman.  Christ's 
word  speaks  faith  within  us.  We  all  come  to  places 
where  there  is  no  recourse  but  to  only  believe.  Moreover 
when  there  is  abundant  ground  for  fear  and  when  it 
seems  the  very  thing  the  circumstances  justify  (comp. 
vers.  23-25),  right  then  and  there  comes  the  reassuring 
word  calling  to  faith, 

51.  Only  four,  it  appears,  of  the  multitude  that  came 
to  the  house,  entered  it ;  and  only  the  six  persons  men- 
tioned were  allowed  to  go  into  the  room  where  the 
child  lay. 


VIII.  52-56]  CHAPTER  VIII.  175 

52.  These  all  were  already  in  the  house  when  Jesus 
arrived. 

53.  Knowing  that  she  was  dead.  Yes  ;  so  far  as  they 
had  any  power  or  knew  any  relief,  dead  indeed.  Their 
scornful  laugh  was  the  comment  of  their  assurance  of  the 
child's  death.  It  serves  us  a  good  purpose.  Here  was 
no  counterfeit  of  death. 

54.  But  he.  In  marked  contrast  with  all  of  them,  both 
in  His  views  of  things  and  in  His  power.  He  calleth 
things  that  are  not  as  though  they  were  (Rom.  iv.  17). 

55.  Her  spirit  returned  and  reanimated  her  body:  and 
she  rose  up — the  first  resurrection  of  the  body  in  the 
history  of  Jesus'  working. 

Something  to  eat.  For  the  restored  life  was  to  be 
nourished  just  as  other  lives  are  nourished.  God  does 
not  put  forth  His  extraordinary  power  to  accomplish 
what  He  has  put  within  the  reach  of  ordinary  means. 
Moreover  that  she  could  eat  and  needed  food  was  a  strong; 
evidence  of  her  complete  restoration. 

56.  To  tell  no  man.  An  admonition  worthy  of  its 
source.  Jesus  was  not  seeking  notoriety.  These  parents 
were  to  talk  little  about  it,  that  they  might  tJiink  much. 
There  is  a  time  to  be  silent,  as  well  as  a  time  to  speak. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

1-6.  And  he  called  the  twelve  together,  and  gave  them  power  and  au- 
thority over  all  devils,  and  to  cure  diseases.  And  he  sent  them  forth  to 
preach  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  to  heal  the  sick.  And  he  said  unto  them, 
Take  nothing  for  your  journey,  neither  staff,  nor  wallet,  nor  bread,  nor 
money ;  neither  have  two  coats.  And  into  whatsoever  house  ye  enter,  there 
abide,  and  thence  depart.  And  as  many  as  receive  you  not,  when  ye  de- 
part from  that  city,  shake  off  the  dust  from  your  feet  for  a  testimony 
against  them.  And  they  departed,  and  went  throughout  the  villages, 
preaching  the  gospel,  and  healing  everywhere. 

See  on  Matt.  x.  1-14,  ff. ;  Mark  vi.  7-13. 

1,  Luke  mentions  power  along  with  authority:  the 
former  is  the  latter  in  action,  exercising  itself.  He  also 
says  all  devils,  or  demons,  parallel  with  "  unclean  spirits  " 
of  Matthew  and  Mark. 

2.  To  preach,  as  heralds,  the  kingdom  of  God,  which 
the  Baptist  declared  to  be  at  hand  and  Jesus  proclaimed 
as  come.  And  to  heal,  as  a  testimony  to  their  word  and 
a  striking  proof  of  the  power  of  the  kingdom  of  God  over 
that  of  Satan's  empire.  When  there  had  been  enough  of 
that  testimony,  it  ceased. 

5.  The  testimony  of  shaking  off  the  dust  of  their  feet 
was  not  merely  "  unto  them  "  (Mark),  but  against  them 
"  in  the  day  of  judgment  "  (Matt.). 

6.  Throughout   the    villages.     There  was   no  country 

population.     This  appears  to  have  been  a  third  circuit  of 

Galilee  ;  the  first  being  that  of  Matt.  iv.  23  ;   Mark.  i.  39; 

Luke  iv.  43,  44;  and  the  second,  that  of  Luke  viii.  1-3  ; 

on   this  third  occasion   the    twelve    were    sent    forth  by 

176 


IX.  6-9-]  CHAPTER  IX.  177 

twos,  in  different  directions,  and  in  advance,  perhaps,  of 
Himself. 

Preaching  the  gospel.  That  is  the  business  of  those 
whom  Jesus  sends  forth  to  preach. 

7-9.  Now  Herod  the  tetrarch  heard  of  all  that  was  done:  and  he  was 
much  perplexed,  because  that  it  was  said  by  some,  that  John  was  risen  from 
the  dead;  and  by  some,  that  Elijah  had  appeared;  and  by  others,  that  one 
of  the  old  prophets  was  risen  again.  And  Herod  said,  John  I  beheaded  : 
but  who  is  this,  about  whom  I  hear  such  things  "i  And  he  sought  to  see 
him. 

See  on  Matt.  xiv.  1-12  ;  Mark.  vi.  14-29. 

7.  Herod  Antipas  ruled  in  Galilee  (and  Persea),  the  scene 
of  most  of  all  that  was  done  so  wonderfully  by  Jesus. 
Naturally  the  report  reached  him  and  he  was  much 
perplexed  because  of  the  accusations  and  imaginings  of  a 
guilty  conscience.  Matthew  and  Mark  represent  him  as 
saying  what  is  here  referred  to  some.  No  doubt  he  took  it 
up  from  them  and  betimes  superstitiously  questioned,  if  he 
did  not  believe,  it. 

8.  The  suggestions  by  others  were  scarcely  more  quiet- 
ing to  this  unprincipled  man.  Hardly  as  well  as  Ahab 
of  old  could  he  have  faced  Elijah  or  one  of  the  old  pro- 
phets. Elijah  could  have  appeared  without  rising  from 
the  dead,  for  he  had  never  died. 

9.  John  I  beheaded  was  Herod's  guilty  recollection, 
but  who  is  this  was  his  startled  question  concerning 
Jesus.  To  satisfy  his  curiosity  and  quiet  his  startled 
imagination,  he  sought  to  see  him — but  was  not  gratified 
till  the  day  of  Jesus'  death.     (See  ch.  xxiii.  6-12.) 

10-17.  And  the  apostles,  when  they  were  returned,  declared  unto  him 
what  things  they  had  done.  And  he  took  them,  and  withdrew  apart  to  a 
city  called  Bethsaida.  But  the  multitudes  perceiving  it  followed  him  :  and 
he  welcomed  them,  and  spake  to  them  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  them 
that  had  need  of  healing  he  healed.  And  the  day  began  to  wear  away ;  and 
12 


178  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [ix.  10-14. 

the  twelve  came,  and  said  unto  him,  Send  the  multitude  away,  that  they 
may  go  into  the  villages  and  country  round  about,  and  lodge,  and  get  vict- 
uals :  for  we  are  here  in  a  desert  place.  But  he  said  unto  them.  Give  ye 
them  to  eat.  And  they  said,  We  have  no  more  than  five  loaves  and  two 
fishes ;  except  we  should  go  and  buy  food  for  all  this  people.  For  they 
were  about  five  thousand  men.  And  he  said  unto  his  disciples,  Make  them 
sit  down  in  companies,  about  fifty  each.  And  they  did  so,  and  made  them 
all  sit  down.  And  he  took  the  five  loaves  and  the  two  fishes,  and  looking 
up  to  heaven,  he  blessed  them,  and  brake;  and  gave  to  the  disciples  to  set 
before  the  multitude.  And  they  did  eat,  and  were  all  filled  :  and  there  was 
taken  up  that  which  remained  over  to  them  of  broken  pieces,  twelve 
baskets. 

See  on  Matt.  xiv.  13-21  ;  Mark  vi.  30-44;  John  vi.  1-14. 
This  is  the  only  miracle  that  is  reported  by  all  four  of 
the  Evangelists. 

10.  Their  return  was  to  Jesus  by  whom  they  had  been 
sent  forth.  What  a  satisfaction  it  must  have  been  to  them 
to  go  over  all  the  experiences  of  their  mission.  Go  and  tell 
Jesus — without  any  need  of  mediating  virgin,  priest  or 
saint  !  The  Bethsaida  to  which  they  withdrew  was  on  the 
northeast  side  of  the  sea  of  Galilee,  known  as  Bethsaida 
(Julias).  There  was  another  place  of  same  name  on  the 
western  side  (Mark  vi.  45). 

11.  He  welcomed  them,  though  their  coming  frustrated 
the  purpose  of  rest  for  which  they  had  set  out  :  so  loving 
was  He  to  men,  intent  on  the  kingdom  of  God  by  which 
all  human  needs  are  healed. 

12.  Luke  adds  and  lodge;  for  it  was,  perhaps,  too  late 
for  many  of  them  to  get  back  home,  and  some  of  them 
were  cii  route  for  the  Feast  at  Jerusalem. 

13.  To  go  and  buy  would  have  been  quite  an  under- 
taking, especially  at  that  hour  and  with  their  slim  purse. 

14.  In  view  of  Mark's  "  by  hundreds  and  by  fifties  " 
we  take  it  that  about  fifty  each  refers  to  the  number  in 
front  line  of  each  company,  though  it  may  have  been  a 
hundred  lines  deep,  in  which  case  there  would  be  five 


IX.  I4-I8.]  CHAPTER  IX.  179 

hundred  in  each  company,  ten  of  which  would  make  up 
the  whole  number  five  thousand.  Nothing  is  indicated 
of  the  disposition  of  the  "  women  and  children  "  who 
were  present  besides. 

This  miracle  of  the  feeding  of  the  five  thousand  is  one 
of  the  most  significant  and  humanly  inexplicable  of  all 
our  Lord's  wonderful  works.  There  is  no  second  cause 
which  any  rationalizing  interpreter  can  possibly  bring  in 
to  help  account  for  the  increase  of  the  loaves  and  fishes : 
moreover,  the  facts  were  attested  to  the  multitude  and 
the  disciples  by  at  least  four  of  man's  five  senses,  and 
we  have  the  record,  substantially  the  same,  by  all  four 
Evangelists,  two  of  them  having  been  eye-witnesses. 
Moreover  the  whole  is  a  miniature  picture  of  the  kingdom 
of  God.  Here  is  Jesus,  the  Master,  Lord  and  Provider; 
here  are  the  disciples,  His  ministers,  the  bearers  of  His 
bounty ;  and  here  are  the  multitudes,  the  people  of  the 
world.  Jesus  Himself  is  the  bread  of  life,  the  food  of  our 
souls,  supernaturally  given  yet  in  natural  channels  ;  His 
disciples  are  the  ministers,  offering  this  true  Bread  from 
Heaven  to  all  people  and  nations,  the  multitudes  in  a 
desert  world  where  they  cannot  provide  for  themselves. 
"  Give  ye  them  to  eat." — So  says  the  Master  to  us  Chris- 
tians, with  reference  to  the  multitudes  of  heathen,  famish- 
ing for  the  bread  of  life. 

18-22.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  was  praying  alone,  the  disciples  were 
with  him :  and  he  asked  them,  saying,  Who  do  the  multitudes  say  that  I 
am  ?  And  they  answering  said,  John  the  Baptist ;  but  others  say,  Elijah  ; 
and  others,  that  one  of  the  old  prophets  is  risen  again.  And  he  said  unto 
them,  But  who  say  ye  that  I  am  ?  And  Peter  answering  said,  The  Christ 
of  God.  But  he  charged  them,  and  commanded  them  to  tell  this  to  no  man  ; 
saying.  The  son  of  man  must  suffer  many  things,  and  be  rejected  of  the 
elders  and  chief  priests  and  scribes,  and  be  killed,  and  the  third  day  be 
raised  up. 

See  on   Matt.  xvi.  13-23  and  Mark  viii.  27-33,  where 


i8o  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [ix.  17-25. 

the  region  of  Caesarea  Philippi,  northwest  of  the  sea  of 
Galilee,  is  given  as  the  scene  of  this  passage. 

18.  Probably  He  went  thither,  where  He  was  less 
known,  to  be  more  alone.  Luke  alone,  as  often,  notes 
that  He  was  praying.  Blessed,  perfect,  holy  example ! 
And  do  not  we,  then,  need  to  pray  ? 

19.  One  of  the  old  prophets,  says  Luke  here,  as  in  ver. 
8,  those  of  olden  time,  great  prophets. 

20.  Peter's  response  is  given  substantially  the  same  by 
all  three  Evangelists,  but  Luke  briefly  combines  Matthew 
and  Mark  in  his  the  Christ  of  God. 

21.  22.  It  was  not  yet  the  time,  in  God's  wise  provi- 
dence, to  declare  the  Messiah,  for  His  course  of  suffering, 
from  this  time  on  often  spoken  of  to  His  disciples,  must 
not  be  hindered,  and  the  disciples  must  be  prepared  for 
it.  Much  as  the  Old  Testament  sets  forth  a  suffering 
Saviour,  that  was  not  the  expectation  of  the  Jews. 

23-27.  And  he  said  unto  all,  If  any  man  would  come  after  me,  let  him 
deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  daily,  and  follow  me.  For  whosoever 
would  save  his  life  shall  lose  it;  but  whosoever  shall  lose  his  life  for  my 
sake,  the  same  shall  save  it.  For  what  is  a  man  profited  if  he  gain  the 
whole  world,  and  lose  or  forfeit  his  own  self  ?  For  whosoever  shall  be 
ashamed  of  me  and  of  my  words,  of  him  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed, 
when  he  cometh  in  his  own  glory,  and  the  glory  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
holy  angels.  But  I  tell  you  of  a  truth,  There  be  some  of  them  that  stand 
here,  which  shall  in  no  wise  taste  of  death,  till  they  see  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

See  on  Matt.  x.  38,  39  ;  xvi.  24-28 ;  Mark  viii.  34 — 
ix.  I. 

Jesus'  disciples  must  be  partakers  of  His  sufferings. 
The  way  to  the  hills  leads  through  the  valleys. 

23.  Luke  adds  daily.     Thus  it  is  even  easier. 

25.  His  own  self  here  explains  "  his  soul  "  (Auth. 
Ver.)  or  "  his  life  "  (Revised  Version.)  in  Matthew  and 
Mark. 


IX.  26-28.]  CHAPTER  IX.  i8i 

26.  Luke  adds  in  his  own  glory — which  is  very  im- 
portant. 

27.  This  verse  clearly  refers  to  some  powerful  manifes- 
tation of  the  kingdom  of  God  within  the  lifetime  of 
some  of  the  twelve.  Besides  the  interpretations  given 
in  previous  volumes  of  this  Commentary,  nearly  all  the 
early  expositors,  the  Fathers  and  the  mediaeval  inter- 
preters regard  the  succeeding  event  of  the  transfigura- 
tion as  a  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy  of  this  verse.  There 
is  a  very  close  connection,  but,  perhaps,  the  transfigura- 
tion was  rather  of  the  nature  of  "  a  symbol,  a  pledge,  and 
a  partial  manifestation  of  the  glory  of  Messiah's  king- 
dom "  (Bible  Commentary). 

28-36.  And  it  came  to  pass  about  eight  days  after  these  sayings,  he 
took  with  him  Peter  and  John  and  James,  and  went  up  into  the  mountain 
to  pray.  And  as  he  was  praying,  the  fashion  of  his  countenance  was 
altered,  and  his  raiment  became  white  and  dazzling.  And  behold,  there 
talked  with  him  two  men,  which  were  Moses  and  Elijah;  who  appeared  in 
glory,  and  spake  of  his  decease  which  he  was  about  to  accomplish  at  Jeru- 
salem. Now  Peter  and  they  that  were  with  him  were  heavy  with  sleep : 
but  when  they  were  fully  awake,  they  saw  his  glory,  and  the  two  men  that 
stood  with  him.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they  were  parting  from  him, 
Peter  said  unto  Jesus,  Master,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  here  :  and  let  us  make 
three  tabernacles  ;  one  for  thee,  and  one  for  Moses,  and  one  for  Elijah  :not 
knowing  what  he  said.  And  while  he  said  these  things,  there  came  a  cloud, 
and  overshadowed  them :  and  they  feared  as  they  entered  into  the  cloud. 
And  a  voice  came  out  of  the  cloud,  saying.  This  is  my  Son,  my  chosen  : 
hear  ye  him.  And  when  the  voice  came,  Jesus  was  found  alone.  And 
they  held  their  peace,  and  told  no  man  in  those  days  any  of  the  things 
which  they  had  seen. 

See  on  Matt.  xvii.  1-13  ;  Mark  ix.  2-13. 

28.  29.  Luke's  eight  days  include  parts  of  days  before 
and  after  the  "  six  days  "  of  Matthew  and  Mark.  The 
words  after  these  sayings  show  the  close  connection 
with  the  preceding  record.  As  usual  it  is  Luke  who  notes 
Jesus*  purpose,  in  now   seeking  solitude,  to  pray,  and 


i82  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [ix.  29-31. 

that  as  he  was  praying  the  transfiguration  occurred. 
Fashion  .  .  •  altered.  His  countenance  became  differ- 
ent. Matthew  gives  the  effect.  White  is  the  color  of 
glorious  purity  (Matt.  xxv.  31  ;  Rev.  xx.  11).  Dazzling, 
like  lightning.  The  glory  of  the  transfiguration  was  not 
poured  down  upon  Jesus,  but  broke  forth  from  Him. 
The  potency  of  it  was  in  Him,  but  ordinarily  restrained 
from  manifestation  by  His  voluntary  humiliation  :  for 
"he  emptied  himself"  (Phil.  ii.  7). 

30,  31.  Two  men,  not  angels  or  spirits  ;  and  they  had 
not  gone  up  the  mountain  with  them  and  were  not  there 
on  their  arrival :  but,  all  at  once,  there  they  were  talking 
with  Jesus !  Their  appearance  was  in  glory,  correspond- 
ent with  the  glory  of  Jesus'  transfiguration.  The  sub- 
ject of  their  conversation  was  his  decease  which  he  was 
about  to  accomplish  at  Jerusalem.  The  word  rendered 
"  decease  "  is  exodus,  floses,  who  had  led  the  children 
of  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  through  the  Red  Sea,  was  con- 
cerned about  his  great  prototype's  leading  mankind  safely 
through  the  fiery  trials  of  Satan  out  of  this  present  evil 
world  into  the  heavenly  Canaan,  in  whose  borders  he  was 
waitine  for  the  host  that  should  come  :  Elijah,  who  had 
stood  for  the  true  God  before  Ahab  and  the  priests  of 
Baal,  and  had  become  discouraged,  was  anxious  that  in 
the  great  and  decisive  conflict  with  Satan  and  all  his 
forces,  the  greatest  of  all  the  prophets.  He  whom  the 
rest  faintly  prefigured  and  fore-announced,  should  over- 
come. Great  subject,  which  Peter  and  the  twelve  had 
not  wanted  to  hear  about  (Matt.  xvi.  21-23),  but  which 
absorbed  the  three  on  the  Mount.  Christ's  cross  is  the 
centre  of  all  history,  the  focus  of  interest  for  earth  and 
heaven,  for  this  world  and  the  world  of  spirits. 

So  then  the  sleepy  doctrine  of  the  "  soul-sleepers  "  is 
not  true,  but  those  who  have  gone  before  have    some 


IX.  3I-36-]  CHAPTER  IX.  183 

knowledge  of  and  are  interested  in  what  is  yet  transpir- 
ing on  the  earth.  Moreover  Peter,  James  and  John 
knczv  Moses  and  Ehjah,  whom  they  had  never  seen  ;  and 
"  we  shall  know  each  other  there,"  as  by  intuition,  with 
powers  greatly  enlarged  and  quickened  above  what  we 
now  possess. 

32,  33.  Everything  about  the  transfiguration  goes  to 
show  that  it  took  place  at  night.  The  disciples,  laboring 
men  before  their  call  and  used  to  full  measures  of  sleep, 
were  heavy  with  sleep,  and  probably  it  was  while  they 
were  in  this  condition  that  the  transfiguration  began  and 
the  visitants  from  the  unseen  world  appeared.  The  first 
the  disciples  knew,  they  were  there  and  talking  with 
Him.  But  presently  they  became  fully  awake,  and 
wonderingly  contemplated  the  scene  before  them.  As 
the  heavenly  visitants  were  parting  from  Jesus,  impet- 
uous Peter  seems  to  have  felt  it  incumbent  on  him  to 
say  something,  though  he  wist  not  what,  so  dazzled  were 
they  and  sore  afraid.  His  general  impression  was  that 
the  occasion  was  a  good  and  excellent  one  that  ought  to 
be  prolonged.  Therefore  he  proposed  to  make  three 
tabernacles,  tents,  places  of  dwelling,  one  for  each  of 
the  great  three,  putting  them  seemingly  on  a  par.  Peter 
had  much  yet  to  learn  ;  and  his  headlong  zeal  must  be 
properly  directed  and  controlled.  The  remembrance  of 
this  scene  was  afterwards  to  him  a  tower  of  strength  (2 
Pet.  i.  16-21). 

34.  Luke's  addition  is  to  call  attention  to  their  fear  as 
they  entered  the  cloud. 

35.  Chosen.  Matthew  and  Mark  say  beloved.  The 
three  reports  are  substantially  the  same. 

36.  When  the  voice  came  they  fell  on  their  faces  in  fear 
(Matt.),  and  after  it  was  past  and  they  looked  up  Jesus 
was  found  alone. 


i84  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [ix.  36,37. 

The  disciples  held  their  peace  about  what  had  trans- 
pired on  the  Mount,  not  so  much  because  they  were  not 
disposed  to  talk  about  those  wonderful  events,  but 
because,  as  the  other  narrators  tell  us,  Jesus  strictly 
charged  them  to  this  effect.  It  was  a  time  for  silence 
again.  But  why  ?  Because  neither  were  the  disciples 
yet  prepared  for  proclaiming  the  truths  involved  in  the 
Transiiguration  nor  were  the  people  prepared  to  hear 
them. 

This  was  a  revelation  that,  like  prophecy,  would  have 
its  chief  force  in  after  times;  it  and  coming  events  would 
mutually  explain  one  another.  The  disciples  were  learn- 
ing, that  they  might  teach  others.  They  will  not  be  able 
to  teach,  however,  until  they  have  better  learned.  They 
had  seen  glimpses  of  Jesus'  glory;  His  sufferings  were 
yet  to  pass  before  them  and  become  the  dark  back- 
ground of  their  recollections  of  Him  and  the  interpreter 
of  His  glory. 

Jesus'  ministry  in  Galilee  was  now  ended.  Henceforth 
there  will  be  more  of  the  suffering  Saviour, 

37-42.  And  it  came  to  pass,  on  the  next  day,  when  they  were  come  down 
from  the  mountaui,  a  great  multitude  met  him.  And  behold,  a  man  from 
the  multitude  cried,  saying.  Master,  I  beseech  thee  to  look  upon  my  son ; 
for  he  is  mine  only  child  :  and  behold,  a  spirit  taketh  him,  and  he  suddenly 
crieth  out ;  and  it  teareth  him  that  he  foameth,  and  it  hardly  departeth  from 
him,  bruising  him  sorely.  And  I  besought  thy  disciples  to  cast  it  out ;  and 
they  could  not.  And  Jesus  answered  and  said,  O  faithless  and  perverse 
generation,  how  long  shall  I  be  with  you,  and  bear  with  you  .'  bring  hither 
thy  son.  And  as  he  was  yet  a  coming,  the  devil  dashed  him  down,  and  tare 
him  grievously.  But  Jesus  rebuked  the  unclean  spirit,  and  healed  the  boy 
and  gave  him  back  to  his  father. 

See  on  Matt.  xvii.  14-20;  Mark  ix.  14-29;  the  latter 
gives  the  fullest  report. 

37.  They  did  not  come  down  till  the  next  day,  having 
spent  the  night  on  the  mountain. 


rx.  38-45.]  CHAPTER  IX.  185 

38.  Look  Upon.  Bring  under  thy  compassionate  atten- 
tion.    Luke  alone  says  it  was  an  only  child. 

39.  He  crieth  out,  that  is,  the  boy  ;  for  the  possessing 
spirit  in  this  case  was  "  dumb  "  (Mark).  Hardly.  Scarcely, 
with  difficulty.  Bruising  him  sorely.  Only  hurt  comes 
from  the  evil  spirits. 

42.  Dashed  .  .  .  tare  .  .  .  grievously,  illustrating  his 
evil  nature  and  hostility  to  man.  But  Jesus  .  .  .  healed 
the  boy,  illustrating  His  nature,  and  mercifully  gave  him 
back  to  his  father.     O  what  a  happy  recovery. 

43-45.  And  they  were  all  astonished  at  the  majesty  of  God.  But  while 
all  were  marvelling  at  all  the  things  which  he  did,  he  said  unto  his  disciples, 
Let  these  words  sink  into  your  ears  :  for  the  Son  of  man  shall  be  delivered 
up  into  the  hands  of  men.  But  they  understood  not  this  saying,  and  it 
was  concealed  from  them,  that  they  should  not  perceive  it :  and  they  were 
afraid  to  ask  him  about  this  saying. 

See  on  Matt.  xvii.  22,  23  ;  Mark  ix.  30-32. 

43,  44.  The  majesty  of  God,  exhibited  in  Jesus'  power 
over  Satan  and  his  kingdom,  and  in  this  particular  in- 
stance in  marked  contrast  with  the  impotence  of  the 
disciples  (vers.  40,  41),  was  a  matter  of  universal  astonish- 
ment. In  direct  connection — while  all  were  marvelling 
— and  in  contrast  with  this,  Luke  puts  the  now  re- 
peated admonition  concerning  coming  sufferings.  This 
majestic  Son  of  man  is  destined  to  fall,  seemingly  help- 
lessly, into  the  hands  of  men,  a  victim.  Meyer  and 
others  refer  these  words  to  expressions  of  praise  and 
wonder  that  had  been  uttered  ;  Alford,  Stier,  and 
others,  to  Jesus'  own  utterances,  previously  and  here 
following  again,  concerning  His  sufferings  and  cruel 
treatment. 

45.  But,  though  their  ears  heard  this  saying  about 
Jesus'  coming  sufferings,  they  failed  to  apprehend  or  com- 


l86  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [ix.  45-48. 

prehend  it,  and  there  was  divine  purpose  in  this — it  was 
concealed  from  them,  for  wise  reasons,  and  they  feared  to 
question  Him  about  it.  The  subject  was  dark  in  every 
sense. 

46-50.  And  there  arose  a  reasoning  among  them,  which  of  them 
should  be  greatest.  But  when  Jesus  saw  the  reasoning  of  their  heart,  he 
took  a  little  child,  and  set  him  by  his  side,  and  said  unto  them,  Whosoever 
shall  receive  this  little  child  in  my  name  receiveth  me  ;  and  whosoever  shall 
receive  me  receiveth  him  that  sent  me :  for  he  that  is  least  among  you  all, 
the  same  is  great.  And  John  answered  and  said,  Master,  we  saw  one  cast- 
ing out  devils  in  thy  name  ;  and  we  forbade  him,  because  he  followeth  not 
with  us.  Bu.t  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Forbid  him  not :  for  he  that  is  not 
against  you  is  for  you. 

See  on  Matt,  xviii.  1-14;  Mark  ix.  33-50. 

The  place  was  Simon's  house  in  Capernaum. 

46,  47.  The  reasoning  or  dispute  among  them  was  not 
openly  before  Jesus,  but  He  saw  and  knew  what  was  in 
their  heart,  and  proposed  to  teach  them  a  needed  lesson. 
The  Great  Teacher  often  taught  by  objects  presented  to 
the  senses,  and  now  a  little  child  of  the  household  served 
this  purpose.  Put  by  his  side — beautiful  sight — he 
was  then  "  in  the  midst  of  them,"  an  effective  object- 
lesson. 

48.  That  Luke  says  this  little  child  and  Matthew  and 
Mark  "  such  little  child,"  illustrates  the  truth  that  cliild  is 
to  be  taken  literally  as  well  as  tropically.  Many  a  little 
child  comes  into  this  world  and  is  not  received  in  Christ's 
name.  This  is  a  fundamental  evil.  Least  is  comparative 
in  the  original  and  means  less  or  very  little  ;  "  in  his  own 
estimation,"  MEYER  thinks  and  takes  is  great  "  object- 
ively, in  accordance  with  his  real  worth."  God's  esti- 
mates are  always  correct.  See  in  this  passage  an  easy  and 
delightful  way  of  receiving  the  great  God :  and  how 
children  are  here  honored  ! 


IX.  49-53-]  CHAPTER  IX.  187 

49,  50.  Same  text  as  in  Mark,  except  that  there  it  is 
"  us  "  and  here  you,  a  difference  of  only  one  letter  in  the 
original,  and  not  making  a  different  sense. 

51.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  days  were  well-nigh  come  that  he 
should  be  received  up,  he  stedfastly  set  his  face  to  go  to   Jerusalem, 

51.  Well-nigh  come  is  not  so  good  as  the  margin  ivere 
being  fulfilled,  but  may  serve  as  an  interpretation.  The 
days  of  Jesus'  ministry  were  passing  on,  and  He  was  now 
six  months  from  their  completion  by  His  being  received 
up  into  heaven.  (See  similar  expression  in  Acts  i.  2  ;  i 
Tim.  iii.  16.)  The  things  concerning  Him  were  to  have 
an  end  (xxii.  37),  and  though  this  would  be  in  glory,  it 
would  also  be  by  the  way  of  the  cross.  He  was  about  to 
set  out  on  His  7f«<^/ departure  from  Galilee,  the  scene  of 
the  larger  part  of  His  ministry,  and  was  leaving  "  his 
own  "  city  and  neighborhood  for  the  last  time.  Con- 
scious of  all  this  and  aware  of  all  that  awaited  Him  in  the 
fulfilling  of  His  mission,  conscious  that  He  was  setting 
out  for  ignominy  and  death,  it  required  firmness  and  de- 
cision to  thus  set  out.  Accordingly  He  set  his  face  thus 
determinedly  to  go  to  Jerusalem.  That  was  the  goal 
where  all  was  to  be  accomplished. 

52,  53.  And  sent  messengers  before  his  face  :  and  they  went,  and 
entered  into  a  village  of  the  Samaritans,  to  make  ready  for  him.  And 
they  did  not  receive  him,  because  his  face  was  as  though  he  were  going  to 
Jerusalem. 

52,  53.  Messengers  ...  to  make  ready.  The  com- 
pany was  quite  a  considerable  one,  and  not  likely  to  find 
accommodations  ready  just  anywhere  for  their  lodging 
and  supply.  Following,  it  seems,  the  direct  route,  they 
entered  into  a  village  of  the  Samaritans,  looking  for  hos- 
pitality. But  the  Samaritans  did  not  receive  him.  Their 
reason  for  this  incivility  was  that  his  face  was  Jerusalem= 


I §8  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [ix.  53,  54. 

wards.  Now,  if  He  had  been  proclaimed  as  a  Messiah 
going  to  their  religious  centre,  Mt.  Gerizim,  they  would 
no  doubt  have  felt  and  acted  differently ;  but  this  was 
evidently  dijeivish  company,  and  the  Samaritans  had  no 
favor  to  show  them.  (See  John  iv.  9.)  Before,  when  Jesus 
was  kindly  treated  in  this  district,  He  was  leaving  Jeru- 
salem ;  now  He  was  going  towards  the  hated  capital,  and 
bitter  envy  prevailed  in  the  Samaritans'  hearts — a  thing 
not  at  all  unusual  with  them. 

54.  And  when  his  disciples  James  and  John  saw  t/iis,  they  said,  Lord, 
wilt  thou  that  we  bid  fire  to  come  down  from  heaven,  and  consume  them  ? 

54.  The  disciples,  we  must  not  forget,  were  men  of  like 
passions  with  us,  and  grace  overcame  nature  in  them 
gradually,  as  it  does  in  us.  The  old  nature  we  see 
cropping  out,  now  and  then,  in  the  best  of  them.  They 
contradict,  doubt,  fear,  forsake,  deny.  Peter,  from  his 
impulsive  nature,  appears  oftenest  in  the  wrong  ;  but  this 
time  James  and  John,  Zebedee's  sons,  came  forward  in 
their  old,,  natural  character.  Jesus  had  surnamed  them 
"Sons  of  Thunder"  (Mark.  iii.  17),  and  here  we  have  a 
touch  of  their  vehement  spirit.  Great  was  their  attach- 
ment to  their  Master ;  they  had  recently  seen  His  glory 
in  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration,  and  now  to  see  Him 
treated  with  neglect  and  despite  by  Samaritans  was  more 
than  their  natural  spirits  could  brook.  So  they  seriously 
proposed  to  command  fire  .  .  .  from  heaven,  and  con= 
sume  them,  and  thus  vindicate  the  Lord  by  summary 
judgment.  Elijah  had  once  done  the  like,  perhaps  in  this 
very  neighborhood  (see  2  Kings  i.  5-16),  and  had  won 
renown  for  the  God  of  Israel.  Why  should  not  they? 
Their  faith  seems  to  have  been  strong  as  to  their  ability 
to  do  this  ;  and  all  they  wanted  was  an  afiBrmative  answer 
to  their  application,  wilt  thou  ? 


ix.  54-56.]  CHAPTER  IX.  189 

The  Revised  Version  throws  out  from  the  text  all 
reference  to  Elijah,  although  "  many  ancient  authorities  " 
have  the  words  "  even  as  Elijah  did." 

55,  56.  But  he  turned,  and  rebuked  them.  And  they  went  to  another 
village. 

55,  56.  In  like  manner  the  Revised  Version  rejects  from 
these  verses  the  words  "  and  said,  Ye  know  not  what 
manner  of  spirit  ye  are  of.  For  the  Son  of  man  is  not 
come  to  destroy  men's  lives,  but  to  save  them."  These 
words  are  wanting  in  the  most  important  uncial  MSS., 
while  they  are  found  wholly  or  in  part  in  many  ancient 
uncial  MSS.  and  versions,  and  are  recognized  by  early 
Fathers  of  high  authority.  Certainly  Jesus  rebuked  the 
ardent  two  who  were  ready  to  execute  judgment. 

There  will  be  a  time  when  Jesus  will  sit  on  the  throne 
of  judgment,  but  it  was  not  yet ;  the  dispensation  inaug- 
urated by  the  preaching  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  one 
of  salvation  :  in  it  men  are  not  to  be  coerced  ;  the  religion 
of  Christ  is  not  to  be  advanced  by  measures  of  violence. 
Jesus  many  a  time  relieved  human  sorrow,  healing  the  sick 
and  raising  the  dead  ;  only  once  did  He  perform  a  miracle 
of  destruction,  and  that  was  on  the  barren^  fig-tree.  All 
His  acts  corresponded  with  His  name.  Saviour.  So  then, 
we  are  to  QyLQxcxse  patient  love  even  towards  those  who  do 
not  receive  Christ,  and  leave  judgment  where  it  belongs. 
So  w^ill  we  truly  follow  Jesus.  To  another  village.  Some 
think  He  retired  across  the  border  again,  and  then  pursued 
His  journey  around  instead  of  through  Samaria.  At  all 
events.  He  meekly  went  on. 

57-60.  And  as  they  went  in  the  way,  a  certain  man  said  unto  him,  I  will 
follow  thee  whithersoever  thou  goest.  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  The  foxes 
have  holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  heaven  have  nests ;  but  the  Son  of  man 
hath  not  where  to  lay  his  head.     And  he  said  unto  another,   Follow  me. 


190  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [ix.  57-60. 

But  he  said,  Lord,  suffer  me  first  to  go  and  bury  my  father.  But  he  said 
unto  him.  Leave  the  dead  to  bury  their  own  dead;  but  go  thou  and  publish 
abroad  the  kingdom  of  God. 

See  on  Matt.  viii.  19-22, 

57,  58.  This  seems  to  have  been  a  man  of  sanguine 
temperament,  impulsive  ;  and  he  needed  to  be  put  on  his 
guard  as  to  the  consequences  of  his  eagerness. 

We  must  not  have  an  exaggerated  condition  of  Jesus' 
poverty ;  we  suppose  He  always  had  lodging  and  shelter, 
when  He  needed  it,  and  all  His  state  of  humiliation  was 
voluntarily  assumed  and  endured  :  but  he  was  a  pilgrim 
and  stranger  on  the  earth,  and  His  followers  must  expect 
no  higher  state.  Jesus  did  not  refuse  this  proffered 
close  disciple,  but  only  would  have  him  count  the  cost, 
realize  what  his  profession  meant.  "The  disciple  is  not 
above  his  master,  nor  the  servant  above  his  lord  :  "  and 
let  every  one  who  calls  Jesus  Master  and  Lord,  duly  con- 
sider the  path  He  trod  and  marked  out  for  His  followers. 

59,  60.  This  seems  to  have  been  a  man  of  phlegmatic 
temperament,  sluggish  ;  and  he  needed  to  be  stimulated 
to  determined,  entire  consecration.  Whilst  in  Matthew 
the  proposition  to  follow  Jesus  came  from  the  man  him- 
self with  the  condition  of  waiting  till  he  buried  his  father, 
in  Luke  the  Lord  bids  him  follow  Him,  and  he  puts 
forward  an  objection  to  immediate  compliance  ;  it  is 
this  objection  and  hindrance  that  makes  the  point  of 
the  narrative.  First  .  .  .  bury  my  father.  Whether 
his  father  was  now  a  corpse,  waiting  to  be  buried,  or 
whether  the  petitioner  asked  to  remain  with  his  (now 
aged)  father  until  his  death,  whenever  that  should  be,  is 
a  question  which  divides  commentators.  We  agree  with 
Ellicott  and  others  who  think  the  latter  supposition 
"  by  far  the  most  probable."  It  was  a  plea  for  indefinite 
postponement,  based  on  the  plausible  ground  of  fihal  duty. 


IX.  6o,  6i.]  CHAPTER  IX.  191 

Seeing  thoroughly  this  man's  heart,  and  his  disposition  to 
make  excuse,  Jesus  repHed,  Leave  the  dead  to  bury  their 
own  dead.  Burying  the  dead  is  something  anybody  can  do, 
and  something  that  there  will  always  be  enough  to  do.  Do 
not  trouble  thyself  about  that  ;  there's  a  higher  call  for 
thee — Go  thou  and  publish  abroad  the  kingdom  of  Qod,  be 
a  herald  of  life  and  salvation.  This  is  a  higher  call  than 
to  bury  the  dead  :  and  "he  that  loveth  father  or  mother 
more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me  "  (Matt,  x,  37).  The 
spriritual  bond  is  higher  than  the  natural  (viii.  19-21),  and 
whenever  there  is  a  conflict  the  former  must  have 
preference.  "  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his 
righteousness.''  Now,  let  it  not  escape  the  Bible  student 
that  filial  duty  is  everywhere  sustained  in  the  Bible,  one 
of  the  Ten  Commandmants  being  devoted  to  its  enforce- 
ment, and  Jesus  Himself  enforcing  it  by  precept  and 
example.  But  here  was  a  case  where  a  procrastinator 
plead  a  lower  duty  to  escape  doing  the  higher  one.  The 
first  part  of  our  Lord's  answer  is  somewhat  paradoxical, 
and  the  common  interpretation  of  the  words  is,  "  Let  the 
spiritually  dead  bury  the  naturally  dead." 

61.     And  another  also  said,  I  will  follow  thee.  Lord  ;  but  first  suffer  me 
to  bid  farewell  to  them  that  are  at  my  house. 

61.  Another  and  somewhat  different  character  now 
comes  up.  He  says,  Lord,  I  will  follow  thee — but  condi- 
tionally. He  is  only  half-hearted  in  his  profession.  Let 
me  first  have  a  little  of  my  own  way  yet ;  let  me  renew 
my  old  associations  and  have  one  last  good  time  with 
them  :  let  me  first  go  bid  them  farewell,  take  leave  of 
them  that  are  at  my  house.  D.  Brown  illustrates 
this  request  by  the  experience  of  missionaries  in  India 
with  new  converts.  Their  parents,  he  says,  go  to  the 
mission-house   and    plead    with  tears   and    threats  that 


192  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [ix.  61,62. 

they  will  not  be  baptized.  Failing  thus  to  shake  their 
resolution,  they  ask  at  least  for  one  parting  visit —  "  to 
bid  them  farewell  which  are  at  home  at  their  house." 
This  seemingly  reasonable  request  once  conceded,  the  con- 
vert is  lost  to  Christianity,  never,  or  seldom,  returning 
from  the  charm  and  power  of  the  old  pagan  home  con- 
trol. 

62.  But  Jesus  said  unto  him,  No  man,  having  put  his  hand  to  the 
plough,  and  looking  back,  is  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  God. 

62.  Jesus'  reply  to  this  one  was  couched  in  a  figure 
taken  from  husbandry,  and  very  familiar  to  all.  Every 
ploughman  must  look  ahead,  and  be  intent  upon  the  plough 
and  team.  Particularly  was  this  necessary  in  Palestine, 
where  the  plough  was  very  primitive  and  rude.  No  one 
there  having  put  his  hand  to  the  plough  was  in  condition 
to  draw  a  furrow  or  succeed  at  his  work  while  looking 
back.  So,  preeminently,  whoever  gives  himself  to  the 
kingdom  of  God  must  do  it  with  entire  dcvotion,wo\.\oo\i- 
ing  back  to  the  things  which  have  been  left  behind,  given 
up,  forsaken.  See  Paul's  example  in  Phil.  iii.  13,  14. 
Compare  Luke  xi.  24-26,  and  Hosea  x.  2.  A  divided 
heart  will  not  produce  a  straightforward  Christian  life. 
"  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind.  This  is  the 
first  and  great  commandment." 

Having  been  baptized  into  Christ  and  so  put  on  Christ, 
own  Him  in  your  confirmation,  and  then  follow  on  to 
know  the  Lord  ! 


CHAPTER    X. 

I.  Now  after  these  things  the  Lord  appointed  seventy  others,  and  sent 
them  two  and  two  before  his  face  into  every  city  and  place,  whitlier  he  him- 
self was  about  to  come. 

I,  After  these  things  is  a  very  general  mark  of  time. 
The  following  narrative  belongs  to  the  quite  considerable 
portion  of  the  Gospel  history  narrated  by  Luke  alone. 
He  calls  Jesus  the  Lord  a  number  of  times,  Mark  but  once 
(Mark  xvi.  19),  and  Matthew  not  at  all.  Seventy,  as  many 
as  the  elders  chosen  by  Moses  (Num.  xi.  16-25)  as  as- 
sistants, a  not  unusual  number.  Others  than  those  men- 
tioned in  ix.  52,  and  than  the  Twelve  (ix.  i,  2),  who  were 
sent  out  perhaps  six  months  previously  and  who  had  a 
permanent  mission  as  "  The  Apostles,"  of  whose  appoint- 
ment each  of  the  Synoptists  gives  an  account.  That  He 
found  so  many  suited  to  go  before  Him  as  heralds  of  the 
kingdom,  points  perhaps  to  a  larger  and  better  disciple- 
ship  than  we  are  wont  to  accord  to  that  period.  He  sent 
them  two  and  two,  as  He  had  done  the  Twelve.  Why? 
Because  two  witnesses  were  enough  to  establish  a  matter 
by  Jewish  law,  and  for  sympathy  and  help  :  for  "  two 
are  better  than  one." 

The  places  to  which  they  were  sent  were  those  to  which 
he  himself  was  about  to  come,  and  He  was  setting  out 
through  Samaria  and  Peraea  to  Jerusalem. 

Many  of  the  directions  given  the  seventy  are,  naturally, 
the  same  as  or  like  those  given  to  the  Twelve.  (Comp, 
Matt.  X.  throughout.) 

13  ^9S 


194  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [x.  2-4, 

2.  And  he  said  unto  them,  The  harvest  is  plenteous,  but  the  la- 
bourers are  few :  pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  that  he  send 
forth  labourers  into  his  harvest. 

2,  Harvest.     The  figure  here  is  plain.     (See  on  Matt. 

ix.  37.38-) 

3.  The  object  of  having  them  to  pray  the  Lord  to  do 

what  He  would  naturally  be  solicitous  to  do,  seems  to  be 
to  bring  them  into  active  fellowship  with  the  divine  mind 
and  purpose.  When  we  truly  pray  for  a  cause  we  become 
interested  in  it  so  as  to  give  and  labor  for  it.  Surely  we 
do  not  pray  to  God  to  change  His  mind  or  to  persuade 
Him  to  that  for  which  He  has  no  liking.  The  matter 
of  prayer  needs  deeper  and  fuller  consideration  by 
Christians. 

3.  Go  your  ways  :  behold,  I  send  you  forth  as  lambs  in  the  midst  of 
wolves. 

This  was  not  of  itself  very  encouraging  to  those  sent ; 
but  when  they  remembered  that  it  was  the  Good  Shep- 
herd who  said,  Behold,  I  send  you,  they  could  go  bravely, 
trusting  Him  for  the  consequences.  Probably  the  con- 
trast between  the  sent  and  those  to  whom  they  are  sent 
is  not  so  striking  now  in  Christian  lands  ;  but  withal,  the 
world  is  still  enmity  against  God. 

4.  Carry  no  purse,  no  wallet,  no  shoes  :  and  salute  no  man  on  the  way. 

4.  These  directions  indicate  that  the  mission  was  to  be 
a  hasty  one  and  was  to  support  itself.  Eastern  saluta- 
tions took  up  a  great  deal  of  time.  '^  The  king's  business 
requireth  haste." 

5,  6.  And  into  whatsoever  house  ye  shall  enter,  first  say.  Peace  (^t' to  this 
house.  And  if  a  son  of  peace  be  there,  your  peace  shall  rest  upon  hira ; 
but  if  not,  it  shall  turn  to  you  again. 


X.  5-9-]  CHAPTER  X.  195 

5.  They  were  to  offer  peace  to  whoever  in  the  house 
could  take  it. 

6.  A  son  of  peace,  according  to  Eastern  idiom,  is  one 
who  is  of  that  turn  and  disposition.      It  shall  turn  to  you 

again.  So  it  seems  a  benediction,  to  be  real  and  com- 
plete, must  be  accepted  as  well  as  pronounced.  Remember 
this  when  the  minister  speaks  God's  grace  and  peace  to 
you  in  the  Benediction.  One  cannot  force  peace  upon 
others ! 

7.  And  in  that  same  house  remain,  eating  and  drinking  such  things  as 
they  give :  for  the  labourer  is  worthy  of  his  hire.  Go  not  from  house  to 
house. 

7.  In  that  same  house  remain,  not  going  from  house 
to  house.  Put  up  at  one  place  and  stay  there  till  your 
mission  in  that  town  or  city  is  over.  Be  content  with 
such  things  as  they  give,  and  do  not  receive  it  as 
"  charity  ;  "  for  the  labourer  is  worthy  of  his  hire.  You 
are  the  Lord's,  and  *'  the  earth  is  the  Lord's  and  the  ful- 
ness thereof."  It  is  taken  for  granted  that  they  will  be 
courteous. 

8.  9.  And  whatsoever  city  ye  enter,  and  they  receive  you,  eat  such  things 
as  are  set  before  you :  And  heal  the  sick  that  are  therein,  and  say  unto 
them,  The  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh  unto  you. 

8.  City  gives  a  larger  field  than  *'  house  "  of  ver.  6. 
That  they  receive  you  is  necessary  to  your  remaining 
any  time  among  them.  The  whole  time  of  operation 
for  them  was  limited  and  short. 

9.  You  not  only  receive  but  give.  Heal  the  sick. 
What  a  glorious  power  to  exercise,  what  a  heavenly 
blessing  to  receive !  They  were  also  to  bring  the  gracious 
word  of  spiritual  healing  at  hand,  saying,  The  kingdom 
of  God  is  come  nigh  unto  you  for  your  salvation.    Surely 


rg6  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [x.  9-13. 

such  words  and  works  were  worthy  of  daily  bread  and 
shelter,  all  hospitality. 

10,  II.  But  into  whatsoever  city  ye  shall  enter,  and  they  receive  you  not, 
go  out  into  the  streets  thereof  and  say,  Even  the  dust  from  your  city,  that 
cleaveth  to  our  feet,  we  do  wipe  off  against  you :  howbeit  know  this,  that 
the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh. 

10,  II.  But  suppose  they  receive  you  not,  what  then  ? 
For  men  have  power  to  reject  not  only  the  ambassadors 
but  the  grace  of  Christ.  Eastern  people  abound  in  ex- 
ternal manifestation  of  feeling.  The  Lord  here  instructs 
the  seventy  to  use  a  well  understood  action  of  laying  the 
responsibility  of  rejection  of  offered  good  upon  the  re- 
jecters. The  preachers  would  not  be  responsible  if  the 
people  would  not  receive  them  and  their  word. 

12.  I  say  unto  you,  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  in  that  day  for  Sodom, 
than  for  that  city. 

12.  In  that  day.  Ver.  14  and  the  usual  meaning  of 
the  term  "  that  day  "  show  that  this  means  the  day  of 
judgment :  and  the  term  more  tolerable  indicates  degrees 
of  condemnation  at  that  time.  Sodom  had  not  the  op- 
portunities of  that  city  to  which  these  ambassadors  of 
Christ  would  come,  and,  though  so  wicked,  would  not  be 
so  severely  judged,  according  to  the  law,  "To  whom 
much  is  given  of  them  much  will  be  required."  More- 
over here  is  illustrated  that  the  greatest  of  all  sins  is  to 
reject  Christ.  See  John  xvi.  9  for  the  Spirit's  great  argu- 
ment to  convince  the  world  of  sin. 

13,  14.  Woe  unto  thee,  ChorazinI  woe  unto  thee,  Bethsaida  !  for  if  the 
mighty  works  had  been  done  in  Tjrre  and  Sidon,  which  were  done  in  you, 
they  would  have  repented  long  ago,  sitting  in  sackcloth  and  ashes.  How- 
beit it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre  and  Sidon  in  the  judgment  than  for 
you. 

13.  The  cities  here  mentioned  are  supposed  to  have 


X.  i3-i6.]  CHAPTER  X. 


197 


been  in  the  neighborhood  of  Capernaum.  They  saw 
many  mighty  works  done  by  the  Master  and  His  dis- 
ciples. They  had  wonderful  opportunities  ;  but  they  did 
not  appreciate  or  improve  these.  The  all-knowing  Judge 
says  Tyre  and  Sidon  with  like  advantages  would  have 
repented. 

14.  But  the  judgment  will  be  qualified  by  a  considera- 
tion of  the  opportunities  enjoyed.  What  are  your  op- 
portunities and  how  are  you  improving  them  ? 

15.  And  thou,  Capernaum,  shalt  thou  be  exalted  unto  heaven?  thou 
shalt  be  brought  down  unto  Hades. 

15.  Capernaum  had  been  especially  exalted  in  privilege 
from  Jesus'  making  it  His  point  of  departure  and  return 
in  Galilee.     Shalt  thou  be  exalted  unto  heaven,  by  the 

residence  of  the  Son  of  God  in  thee,  making  it  "  his  own 
city  ?  "  From  so  great  a  height,  for  rejecting  the  Lord, 
thou  shalt  be  brought  down  unto  Hades,  to  the  state  of 
the  dead,  brought  to  nothing,  wiped  off  of  the  earth. 
So  fully  has  this  been  done  that  the  site  of  Capernaum  is 
not  now  certainly  known.  Of  the  cities  mentioned  Beth- 
saida  only  can  be  found  :  they  all  have  gone  to  ruin ! 

16.  He  that  heareth  you  heareth  me;  and  he  that  rejecteth  you  reject- 
eth  me;  and  he  that  rejecteth  me  rejecteth  him  that  sent  me. 

See  almost  the  very  same  words  in  Matt.  xi.  20-24, 
and  comp.  comments  thereon.     Also  John  xii.  48  ;  xiii.  20. 

16.  Heareth  me — despiseth  me.  Because  the  heavenly 
King  is  represented  by  His  ambassadors.  See  2  Cor.  v. 
20.  Christ  speaks  not  to  men  directly,  but  through  His 
ministers,  those  whom  He  sends.  As  we  treat  them,  so 
we  treat  Him.  (See  Matt.  xxv.  31-46.)  And  as  we  treat 
them  and  Him,  so  we  treat  him  that  sent  me,  Jesus 
says  ;  that  is,  so  we  treat  God  the  Father.     See,  then,  that 


198  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [x.  16,  17. 

ye  refuse  not  him  that  speaketh !  Look  how  you  treat 
God's  ministers!  "Woe  unto  him  that  contends  with 
the  priest  "  (Deut.  xvii.  12  ;  Hosea  iv.  4). 

But  he  that  heareth  you  heareth  me.  "  What  un- 
speakable mercy  it  is  that  God  speaks  with  us  through 
His  word  and  speaks  so  graciously,  that  by  it  He  an- 
nounces and  offers  to  us  His  blessed  peace  and  everlasting 
kingdom  "  (Luther).  Receive,  then,  O  believing  heart, 
the  declaration  of  grace  and  the  benediction,  as  well  as 
the  words  of  exhortation  to  confession  of  sin  and  newness 
of  life,  coming  from  the  minister's  lips,  as  from  God 
Himself! 

17.  And  the  seventy  returned  with  joy,  saying,  Lord,  even  the  devils  are 
subject  unto  us  in  thy  name. 

17.  Returned.  How  long  after  they  were  sent  we  do 
not  know.  Thirty-five  places  or  cities,  at  least,  in  Samaria 
and  Judaea  would  come  within  the  scope  of  their  visit. 
It  is  not  said  or  implied  that  they  returned  all  at  once. 
They  may  have  kept  coming  in  at  different  times,  in 
pairs,  from  places  more  or  less  remote,  but  with  the  same 
general  exuberance.  The  scene  was  probably  in  or  near 
Jerusalem.  With  joy.  They  had  gone  forth  bearing 
precious  seed,  and  were  now  come  again  with  rejoicing. 
Nothing  is  said,  either  here  or  elsewhere,  of  any  sheaves 
brought  with  them.  Their  work  was  probably  chiefly  as 
a  testimony,  and  to  prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord.  They 
did  what  they  were  sent  to  do,  and,  in  that  conscious- 
ness, and  having  had  divine  power  with  them  to  sub- 
stantiate their  word,  they  returned  jubilant.  Even  the 
devils  are  subject.  This  seems  to  have  impressed  them 
most.  This  power  was  not  specifically  mentioned  in  their 
commission,  as  it  had  been  in  that  of  the  Twelve  (ix.  i), 
and  their  exercise  of  it  nevertheless  indicates  their  strong 


X.  17,  i8.]  CHAPTER  X. 


199 


faith.  Not  long  before  this  (ix.  37-42)  nine  of  the 
Twelve  Apostles  had  failed  to  cast  out  an  evil  spirit. 
In  thy  name.  They  wrought  by  another's  power — the 
power  of  Jesus'  name.  This  always  distinguished  miracles 
of  mere  men — disciples — from  the  wonderful  works  of  the 
Lord  and  Master  Himself. 

18.     And  he  said   unto   them,  I  beheld  Satan  fallen  as  lightning  from 
heaven. 

18.  I  beheld  Satan   fallen   as  lightning  from  heaven. 

The  form  of  the  verb  here  used  in  the  original  is  the 
imperfect  and  denotes  continued  action  in  past  time  ;  or 
action  begun  but  not  completed  ;  I  was  beholding  or  I 
began  to  see.  The  question  arises,  to  what  time  does  the 
Lord  refer?  As  Satan's  fall  is  yet  to  be  consummated 
at  the  final  judgment,  it  may  be  considered  as  still  going 
on.  Jesus  came  to  destroy  Satan  and  his  works,  and 
frequently  refers  to  his  Judgment  as  going  on  and  to  be 
completed.  The  certainty  of  it  Jesus  never  doubted,  and 
the  processes  of  it  were  before  His  omniscient  mind  from 
the  time  that  Satan  led  the  revolt  in  heaven  and  was 
banished  therefrom  with  his  rebellious  hosts  (2  Peter  ii. 
4 ;  Jude  6).  Perhaps  our  Lord  speaks  here  of  this  His 
knowledge  and  assurance.  Some  think  He  refers  to  the 
time  when  the  Seventy  set  out,  and  that  He  here  says 
He  was  taking  note,  from  the  beginning,  of  their  triumphs 
over  the  adversary.  From  heaven.  For  he  was  once 
there,  a  pure  spirit  ;  now  fallen,  yet  powerful,  super- 
human, (Comp.  Rev.  xii.  9  ;  Johnxii.  31  ;  Isaiah  xiv.  12.) 
As  lightning.  Swiftly,  notably  ;  an  angel  of  light  fallen  ! 
Meyer  strongly  denies  that  "  from  heaven  "  is  to  be 
taken  with  "lightning,"  i,  e.  as  lightning  from  heaven. 
The  prose  of  the  verse  is — Satan  is  fallen,  doomed  ;  of 
this  I  assure  you,  and  in  this  rejoice  with  you. 


200  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [x.  19,  20. 

19.  Behold,  I  have  given  you  authority  to  tread  upon  serpents  and  scor- 
pions, and  over  all  the  power  of  the  enemy  :  and  nothing  shall  in  any  wise 
hurt  you. 

ig.  Have  given,  when  you  were  sent  out,  and  you  have 
it,   authority  to   tread    on   serpents   and    scorpions,    as 

representative  of  "  that  old  serpent,  the  devil,"  who 
assumed  the  serpent's  form  in  tempting  man  to  his 
fall.     And   over   all    the    power    of    the    enemy.     The 

enemy  is  Satan,  who  is  a  Prince  of  evil,  and  chief 
ruler  of  the  darkness  of  this  world.  (See  Eph.  ii.  2  ;  vi.  1 2  ; 
Col.  i.  13,  etc.)  His  power  is  exercised  to  do  evil ;  but 
the  Seventy  were  so  far  made  superior  to  it  as  to  have 
Jesus'  assurance  that  nothing  shall  in  any  wise  hurt 
you.  We  see  this  promise  given  more  generally  in  Mark 
xvi.  17,  18,  and  exemplified  in  Paul's  experience  at 
Melita  (Acts  xxviii.  3-6).  Doubtless  such  immunity 
from  natural  hurt  was  far  more  common  among  believers 
than  the  few  instances  given  would  indicate.  An  unin- 
spired book  would  have  excited  our  wonder  and  gratified 
our  curiosity  here  as  the  Bible  does  not.  In  this  exemp- 
tion there  was  a  foretaste  and  prefigurement  of  the  times 
of  complete  redemption,  when  the  groaning  and  travailing 
of  creation  shall  cease,  the  curse  be  removed,  and  the 
new  creation,  characterized  by  righteousness  and  peace, 
be  inaugurated. 

20.  Howbeit  in  this  rejoice  not,  that  the  spirits  are  subject  unto  you  : 
but  rejoice  that  your  names  are  written  in  heaven. 

20.  Howbeit  in  this  rejoice  not.  That  is,  as  the  chief 
or  prominent  cause  of  rejoicing  :  for  He  does  not  abso- 
lutely forbid  joy  at  the  power  they  were  enabled  to  ex- 
ercise through  faith.  He,  however,  tempers  their  joy,  and 
warns  them  against  laying  too  much  stress  on  those 
natural  (as  we  may  call  them)  wonders.     There  was  better 


X.  20,  21.]  CHAPTER  X.  20I 

cause  of  joy  in  this, — your  names  are  written  in  heaven, 

enrolled  in  God's  book  as  citizens  there.  So  Paul  says 
(Phil.  iii.  20),  "  Our  citizenship  is  in  heaven."  This  implies 
that  we  may  know,  and  should  know,  our  adoption  as 
sons,  and  our  enrolment  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life. 
This  is  a  knowledge  and  joy  that  belongs  to  all  believers. 

21.  In  that  same  hour  he  rejoiced  m  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  said,  I  thank 
thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  that  thou  didst  hide  these  things 
from  the  wise  and  understanding,  and  didst  reveal  them  unto  babes  :  yea. 
Father;  for  so  it  was  well-pleasing  in  thy  sight. 

21.  Inthathour  is  a  very  specific  mark  of  time.  Rejoiced. 
The  word  here  used  signifies  rejoiced  exceedingly, 
rendered  in  Matt.  v.  12,  "  Be  exceeding  glad."  The 
Revised  Version,  following  the  reading  of  many  of  the 
best  MSS.  and  of  some  versions,  reads  in  the  Holy  Spirit, 
So  Lachm.  and  TisCH.  We  know  that  Jesus  was  filled 
with  the  Holy  Spirit  abiding  on  Him  from  His  baptism, 
and  that  He  rejoiced  in  the  sphere  of  and  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  gives  a  fairly  good  sense  ;  but  the  reading  "  in  the 
spirit,"  meaning  His  own  personal  spirit,  is  simple  and 
gives  a  better  sense.  Meyer  is  strongly  for  the  latter. 
Jesus  was  indeed  "a  man  of  sorrows,"  but  this  belonged 
to  His  humiliation,  and,  occasionally,  as  here,  a  divine  and 
glorious  joy  filled  His  soul  and  beamed  from  His  coun- 
tenance, even  amid  the  thickening  conflict  of  His  earthly 
life.  When  He  looked  beyond,  He  exulted  ;  so  may  His 
true  disciples.  "  Weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but 
joy  Cometh  in  the  morning  !  "  His  joy  expressed  itself  in 
thanksgiving  to  God.  Father,  expressing  His  sense  of 
affectionate  nearness ;  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  in- 
dicating God's  omnipotence.  These  things  are  the  things 
of  the  Kingdom  of  God.  The  wise  and  understanding 
are  the  sagacious  ones  of  the  world.  Babes  does  not 
signify   the    unwise   or   imprudent,   but    simple-hearted, 


202  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [x.  21,  22. 

docile  ones,  believing.  WelUpleasing.  Here  is  the  same 
noun  rendered  "  good  will  "  in  the  angels  '  song  of  the 
nativity.  The  men  of  God's  "good  will"  are  those  who 
receive  the  Kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child  (xviii.  17). 
"  Not  many  wise  men  after  the  flesh,  not  many  mighty, 
not  many  noble,  are  called,"  etc.  (i  Cor.  i.  26-29). 
Such  is  God's  plan,  and  Jesus  praises  the  Father  in 
view  of  it.  In  what  sense  has  He  hid  these  things 
from  the  wise  and  prudent  ?  In  the  sense  that  their 
wisdom  and  prudence,  natural  capacity  and  attain- 
ments cannot  reach  or  fathom  the  things  of  redemption. 
"  The  natural  man  understandeth  not  the  things  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they 
are  spiritually  discerned  !  "  Yet  these  naturally  wise  men 
are  apt  to  be  so  conceited  over  their  abilities  that  they 
will  not  accept  anything  they  cannot  understand,  and  so 
divine  things  are  hidden  from  them.  What  delights  the 
Lord  is  not  that  any  shall  perish  through  the  blindness  of 
their  own  wisdom,  but  that  God  in  His  infinite  wisdom 
has  granted  salvation  and  the  knowledge  of  God  to  simple 
faith,  humble  belief.  In  Rom.  vi.  17  we  have  a  concen^ 
trated  thanksgiving  similar  in  form  to  that  of  this  verse. 
There  "  that  ye  were  the  servants  of  sin  "  marks  the  con- 
trast and  thereby  heightens  the  joy,  but  is  not  in  itself  a 
cause  of  thanksgiving. 

22.  All  things  have  been  delivered  unto  me  of  my  Father :  and  no  one 
knoweth  who  the  Son  is,  save  the  Father;  and  who  the  Father  is,  save  the 
Son,  and  he  to  whomsoever  the  Son  willeth  to  reveal  him. 

22.  This  verse  is  noted  as  being  so  much  like  those 
declarations  of  Jesus  which  abound  in  John's  gospel  but 
are  not  recorded  by  the  first  three  Evangelists,  Its  pur- 
pose seems  to  be  to  set  forth  the  oneness  of  Jesus  with 
God  the  Father,  and  the  entire  harmony  of  their  action. 


X.  22.]  CHAPTER  X.  203 

Jesus  is  the  manifested  and  operating  God.  All  things 
have  been  delivered  unto  me  of  my  Father,     It  is  the 

dispensation  of  the  Mediator.  Jesus  is  King ;  yet  in 
perfect  harmony  with  the  Father  Almighty.  It  was  not 
a  new  government,  but  a  new  revelation  of  the  old.  And 
no  one  knoweth  fully,  comprehendeth,  who  the  Son  is, 
save  the  Father.  What  wonder  then  if  no  one  can 
explain  the  incarnate  mystery!  Van  Oost.  well  says 
this  utterance  "  is  one  of  the  most  convincing  testi- 
monies for  the  true  Godhead  of  Christ.  One  who  was 
only  a  created  spirit  or  an  immaculate  man  could  not 
possibly  without  blasphemy  against  God  testify  this 
of  himself."  "  Knoweth ''  is  used  in  this  verse  in  its 
highest  and  deepest  sense.  And  who  the  Father  is,  save 
the  5on.  This  is  the  converse  of  the  former  statement, 
"  Who  by  searching  can  find  out  God  ?  "  This  knowledge 
is  not  attained  by  worldly  wisdom  and  prudence,  by 
scientific  research  or  intellectual  grasp.  Only  he  to 
whomsoever  the  Son  willeth  to  reveal  him  can  know 
God.  The  only  way  to  the  true  knowledge  of  God  is  by 
Jesus  Christ,  who  came  to  reveal  Him  to  humble  faith. 
He  who  will  not  sit  at  Jesus'  feet  to  learn,  however  great 
in  all  manner  of  attainments  he  may  be,  will  never  attain 
to  the  knowledge  of  the  highest  object  in  the  universe  ; 
however  much  he  may  have  learned  of  the  creation,  he 
will  never  know  the  Creator.  The  unbelieving  savants 
of  the  day  are  illustrating  the  statements  of  Jesus  here 
when  they  call  God  the  Unknown  and  the  Unknowable  ! 
The  great  things  of  God  are  still "  hid  from  the  wise  and 
prudent  !  "  God's  plan  has  not  changed.  Yet,  withal, 
"  this  is  eternal  life,  that  they  should  know  thee,  the  only 
true  God,  and  him  whom  thou  didst  send,  even  Jesus 
Christ." 


204  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [x.  23-25. 

23,  24.  And  turning  to  the  disciples,  he  said  privately,  Blessed  are  the 
eyes  which  see  the  things  that  ye  see :  for  I  say  unto  you,  that  many 
prophets  and  kings  desired  to  see  the  things  which  ye  see,  and  saw  them 
not ;  and  to  hear  the  things  which  ye  hear,  and  heard  them  not. 

23,  24.  His  disciples  were  those  to  whom  the  Son 
willed  to  reveal  the  Father.  Often  He  taught  them 
privately  what  the  unreceptive  multitudes  heard  only  in 
parables.  Here  He  congratulated  them  on  the  times  in 
which  they  lived  and  their  posture  of  faith,  flany  pro= 
phets  of  the  olden  time  (see  i  Peter  i.  10-12),  who 
testified  of  these  latter  days,  and  kings,  such  as  David 
and  Solomon,  Hezekiah  and  Josiah,  desired  in  vain  the 
things  ye  see  and  hear.  All  the  promises  concentrated 
in  the  person  of  Jesus,  whose  words  and  example  were 
their  daily  school,  as  they  followed  His  blessed  steps  and 
called  Him  Master.  Yet  have  we  the  Lord's  own  word 
of  blessing  also,  where  He  says  (John  xx.  29),  *'  Blessed 
are  they  that  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed." 
With  an  open  and  preached  Bible,  with  the  word  and 
the  sacraments,  committed  to  the  Church  as  means  of 
grace,  and  accompanied  by  the  outpoured  Spirit  of  all 
truth,  and  with  the  test  of  so  many  centuries  approving 
Jesus  and  His  teachings,  we  are  better  off  than  even  those 
early  disciples.  Moreover,  we  should  remember  the 
divine  rule  that  *'  to  whom  much  is  given,  of  him  much 
will  be  required."  Our  responsibilities  keep  pace  with 
our  privileges. 

25.  And  behold,  a  certain  lawyer  stood  up  and  tempted  him,  saying, 
Master,  what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life  .'' 

25.  The  word  lawyer  is  one  that  occurs  but  seldom  in 
the  New  Testament,  and  its  precise  meaning  is  not 
certainly  known.  Ordinarily  it  refers  to  one  of  that  class, 
often  called  scribes,  whose  business  it  was  to  transcribe 


X.  25,  26.]  CHAPl^ER  X.  205 

the  books  (written)  of  the  law,  and  who  were,  in  con- 
sequence of  this  service,  well  versed  in  a  knowledge  of 
the  law.  Some  think  it  includes  any  one  that  is  learned 
in  the  law.  MORISON  says  that  it  perhaps  denotes  a 
higher  grade  of  scribes,  who  devoted  themselves  to  giving 
counsel  on  matters  of  law.  Lightfoot's  idea  is  that  it 
refers  to  persons  who  interpreted  and  applied  the  written 
law,  as  over  against  the  elders  who  did  the  same  in  regard 
to  the  traditions. 

Tempted  does  not  necessarily  imply  an  evil  inten- 
tion in  respect  to  Christ,  its  primary  meaning  being  that 
of  proving  or  testing.  In  what  respects  this  man  wished 
to  try  the  Saviour,  we  do  not  know  certainly.  Perhaps 
he  wanted  to  find  out  whether,  as  a  teacher.  He  was 
properly  acquainted  with  the  law,  or  whether  His  views  as 
to  the  manner  of  obtaining  life  were  in  accord  with  the 
teaching  of  Moses.  On  inherit  life  eternal,  see  on  Mark 
X.  17. 

Jesus'  answer  to  the  question,  the  lawyer  thinks,  will 
prove  His  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures  and  the  correct- 
ness of  His  views — or  the  opposite.  The  question,  in 
itself  considered,  is  the  most  important  that  any  man 
can  propose,  and  one  that  all  should  ask  and  answer  fully 
and  definitely.  See  it  asked  late  in  the  history  and  with 
a  practical  purpose,  in  ch.  xviii.  18-23.  (Comp.  Matt.  xxii. 
34-40  ;  Mark.  xii.  28-34.) 

26.  And  he  said  unto  him,  What  is  written  in  the  law }  how  readest 
thou  ? 

26.  The  Saviour  answers  by  asking  another  question. 
What  is  written  in  the  law?  how  readest  thou  ?  Jesus 
always  honored  the  past  in  God's  dealings  with  men.  He 
came  not  to  destroy  the  law  or  the  prophets,  but  to  fulfil 
(Matt.  V.  17,  18).     God    is  one,    and    is   consistent    with 


2o6  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [x.  26,  27. 

Himself.  The  Living  Law  will  not  invalidate  or  change 
the  principles  of  the  written  law.  Moreover  here  He 
turns  the  question  of  the  tempter  against  him,  throws  a 
searchlight  into  his  mind. 

How  readest  thou  ?  As  Stier  well  says,  "  What  is 
written  requires  to  be  read  aright."  We  must  correctly 
understand  what  we  read,  otherwise  we  will  be  misled. 
Perhaps  this  question  is  intended  to  suggest  also  that  the 
Scriptures  must  be  read  and  studied  in  the  proper  spirit ; 
not  merely  to  gain  material  for  controversy,  or  to  find 
matter  to  justify  ourselves  in  the  wTong  course  we  may 
have  determined  to  pursue,  but  to  ascertain  sincerely  and 
truly  what  God  would  have  us  to  do. 

27.  And  he  answering  said,  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength,  and  with  all  thy 
mind ;  and  thy  neighbour  as  thyself. 

27.  This  answer  is  found  in  Deuteronomy  vi.  5  and 
Leviticus  xix.  18,  and  embraces,  according  to  Jesus'  own 
teaching  (Matt.  xxii.  37-40),  the  substance  of  the  Old 
Testament.  "  On  these  two  commandments  hang  all  the 
law  and  the  prophets."  The  first  requirement  is  love  to 
God,  which  includes  a  high  appreciation  of  His  character, 
a  desire  for  communion  wuth  Him,  and  a  sincere  concern 
to  please  Him  in  all  things. 

Thou  shalt  love.  Notice  that  this  is  a  thing  of  tJie 
heart,  the  inner  and  real  man,  not,  primarily,  of  an  act  or 
deed.  It  is  a  requirement  of  being  rather  than  of  doing, 
the  latter,  however,  being  assured  where  the  former  exists 
The  Lord,  the  one  Jehovah,  is  thy  Qod,  to  whom  thou 
standest  in  closest  personal  relations.  He  is  thy  Creator, 
Preserver,  Redeemer,  and  bountiful  Benefactor ;  thou  art 
His  creature.  His  care.  His  purchase.  His  daily  de- 
pendent, His  child.     Love  Him.     He  is  altogether  lovely, 


X.  27,  28.]  CHAPTER  X.  207 

infinite  and  perfect.  With  all  thy  heart  .  .  .  soul  .  ,  . 
mind  .  .  .  strength.  With  all  thy  powers.  These 
terms  cover  the  whole  human  nature  and  let  nothing  slip 
that  can  be  concerned  in  loving  God.  If  we  love  God 
with  all  our  powers,  there  will  be  nothing  left  with  which 
to  love  anything  else ;  that  is,  anything  contrary  to 
God.  God  must  be  all  and  in  all.  He  must  sit  as  absolute 
sovereign  on  the  throne  of  the  heart  :  and,  according  to 
the  divine  constitution  of  things,  such  perfect  love  and 
service  is  man's  highest  freedom.  When  this  exists  man 
is  restored  from  the  fall.  Without  this  heart  of  love  we 
have  not  yet  begun  to  keep  the  law.  This  view  of  the 
truth  destroys  the  moralist's  hope.  This  was  what  was 
lacking  in  the  rich  young  man  spoken  of  later  (xviii. 
18,  etc.) — supreme  love  to  God.  If  this  be  wanting,  the 
whole  character,  however  beautiful,  falls  to  the  ground 
condemned.  See,  from  this,  the  wisdom  and  beauty  of 
Luther's  always  beginning  his  explanations  of  the  Com- 
mandments with  the  foundation  principle,  "  We  should 
fear  and  love  God,  and,"  etc. 

And  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  We  should  love  God 
because  of  His  character  and  perfections  and  because  of 
the  nearness  of  relation  we  sustain  to  Him,  our  Father 
in  Heaven ;  we  should  love  mankind  because  of  the 
family  relationship,  which  makes  us  all  members  of  the 
common  brotherhood  of  man.  "  Whosoever  loveth  him 
that  begat,  loveth  him  also  that  is  begotten  of  him." 

28.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Thou  hast  answered  right :  This  do,  and  thou 
shalt  live. 

28.  Answered  right.  It  appears,  then,  that  it  was 
quite  possible  to  know  the  substance  of  the  law,  the  es- 
sence of  God's  requirements. 

This  do,  and  .  .  .  live.     Adam  and  Eve  failed  to  do 


2o8  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [x.  28-30. 

this,  and  died.  They  fell  out  of  fellowship  with  God. 
Their  heart  and  will  turned  aside  to  the  creature.  Nor 
has  any  one  of  their  descendants  done  better.  No  one 
has  kept  the  law.  Indeed  no  one  of  us  sinners  can  per- 
fectly keep  it.  Yet  the  law  is  not,  therefore,  toned 
down  or  changed  :  but  by  it  we  are  shown  our  helpless- 
ness and  led  to  cry  for  mercy.  The  law  is  our  pedagogue 
to  lead  us  to  Christ,  who  alone  has  perfectly  kept  the 
law  as  well  as  atoned  for  our  sins :  so  that  He  has  become 
our  Redeemer  from  the  condemnation  of  the  unkept  law, 
and  He  is  "  of  God  made  unto  us  wisdom  and  righteous- 
ness and  sanctification  and  redemption  "  (i  Cor.  i.  30), 
and  we  are  made  "  complete  in  him  "  (Col.  ii.  10). 

29.  But  he,  desiring  to  justify  himself,  said  unto  Jesus,  And  who  is  my 
neighbour  ? 

29.  Desiring  to  justify  himself.  How  natural !  Man 
does  not  like  to  own  up  to  his  failings  and  sins,  does  not 
like  to  confess.  Since  our  first  parents'  time,  we, 
their  true  children,  desire  and  try  to  justify  ourselves. 
But  we  do  not  usually  succeed  any  better  than  they  did. 
These  lawyers  split  hairs  on  interpretation,  and  the  one 
before  us  hoped  to  find  some  refuge  from  his  sense  of 
having  failed  to  perfectly  keep  the  law  in  a  possible  in- 
terpretation of  "  neighbour  ;  "  and  so  he  asked  with  a 
temper  that  regarded  the  letter  rather  than  the  spirit  of 
the  law.  And  who  is  my  neighbour? 

30.  Jesus  made  answer,  and  said,  A  certain  man  was  going  down  from 
Jerusalem  to  Jericho  ;  and  he  fell  among  robbers,  which  both  stripped  him 
and  beat  him,  and  departed,  leaving  him  half  dead. 

30.  Jesus  made  answer  in  a  beautiful  parable,  which  not 
only  showed  who  is  one's  neighbor  but  what  neighborly 
love  is,  and  that  one  possessed  by  perfect  love  would 
hardly  have  asked  the  question  this  lawyer  put. 


X.  30.]  CHAPTER  VI.  209 

A  certain  man.  No  matter  who.  Nothing  is  brought 
out  concerning  him  in  the  narrative,  except  that  he  was 
a  fellow  human  being.  Was  going  down.  Jerusalem 
was  naturally  on  higher  ground  than  Jericho,  and  spirit- 
ually was  at  the  head,  the  highest  point  of  Palestine. 
Hence  it  was  always  tip,  and  all  other  places  dotvn, 
relatively  speaking.  The  road  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho 
was  about  twenty  miles  long.  This  was  the  short  cut, 
leading  through  the  desert  wilderness,  wild  and  rocky, 
part  of  it  having  once  been  the  ravine  through  which  a 
stream  flowed,  and  noted  for  murders  and  deeds  of 
violence  from  that  time  to  this.  In  the  fourth  century 
Jerome  says  it  was  called  "the  red  or  bloody  way." 
Hackett  writes  recently  of  it,  "  Hardly  a  season  passes 
in  which  some  luckless  wayfarer  is  not  killed  or  robbed 
in  going  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho.  The  place 
derives  its  hostile  character  from  its  terrible  wildness 
and  desolation.  If  we  might  conceive  of  the  ocean  as 
being  suddenly  congealed  and  petrified  when  its  waves 
are  tossed  mountain-high  and  dashing  in  wild  confusion 
against  each  other,  we  should  then  have  some  idea  of  the 
aspect  of  the  desert  in  which  the  Saviour  has  placed  so 
truthfully  the  parable  of  the  good  Samaritan." 

Jericho,  destroyed  in  Joshua's  day,  was  rebuilt  long 
afterward,  and  by  the  time  of  our  Lord  it  had  become 
again  a  very  considerable  city,  and  Herod  the  Great  had 
enlarged  and  improved  it.  Highway  robbers.  Stripped 
him  of  his  raiment,  in  their  greed  of  gain,  beat  him,  in 
their  wantonness.  Leaving  him  half  dead.  And  no 
matter  to  them  if  he  died  altogether,  only  so  they  might 
escape  detection  and  punishment.  Theirs  was  active, 
violent  selfishness. 

Now  there  follows  another  type  of  this  root  of  sin,  so 
14 


2IO  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE,  [x.  31,  32. 

directly  opposite  to  that  crowning   virtue,  love,  which 
"  seeketh  not  her  own." 

31,  32.  And  by  chance  a  certain  priest  was  going  down  that  way,  and 
when  he  saw  him,  he  passed  by  on  the  other  side.  And  in  like  manner  a 
Levite  also,  when  he  came  to  the  place,  and  saw  him,  passed  by  on  the 
other  side. 

31.  By  chance.  So  we  speak  ;  and  there  is  chance  to 
man,  but  not  to  God.  There  was  no  foresight  of  man  to 
occasion  or  foresee  such  concurrence  of  events,  but  God's 
providence,  which  lets  not  a  sparrow  fall  unnoticed,  was 
in  it  all.  Was  going  down.  This  indicates  that  he  was 
going  from  Jerusalem,  where,  perhaps,  he  had  been  in 
attendance  on  the  sacred  duties  of  the  temple.  A  certain 
priest.  Jericho  was  one  of  the  cities  of  the  priests,  con- 
venient to  the  holy  city  where  they  officiated  by  courses. 
(See  i.  8.)  Tliat  way.  There  was  another,  more  round- 
about but  safer,  way  leading  through  Bethlehem.  And 
when  he  saw  him  lying  there  in  such  an  evil  plight, 
taking  counsel,  perhaps,  of  his  fears,  he  passed  by  on 
the  other  side.  We  may  suppose  this  man  was  full  of 
apprehension  from  the  time  he  entered  that  wild  defile, 
and  now,  more  than  ever,  hastened  to  get  through  it. 
Here  was  fresh  reason  for  being  afraid.  The  priests' 
office  was  to  offer  sacrifices,  conduct  the  temple  service, 
and  instruct  the  people,  and  sometimes  to  act  as  judges. 
They  were  "  appointed  for  men  in  things  pertaining  to 
God  "  (Heb.  v.  i).  They  were  mediators  between  God 
and  men,  a  shadow  and  figure  of  the  office  of  Christ. 
One  of  the  great  things  of  that  law  which  they  were  to 
honor  and  exemplify  was  mercy  (Matt,  xxiii.  23). 

32.  In  like  manner  a  Levite.  Priests  were  Levites, 
but  all  Levites  were  not  priests.  The  family  of  Aaron 
were  priests ;  the  rest  of  the  tribe  of  Levi  were  chosen 
for  the  service  of  the  tabernacle  in  place  of  the  first-born 


X.  32, 33-]  CHAPTER  X.  211 

of  all  Israel,  who  were  consecrated  to  the  Lord.  They 
were  aids  to  the  priests,  and,  giving  their  time  to  the 
offices  of  religion,  were  supported  by  tithes  from  the  rest 
of  the  people.  This  man,  in  that  he  came  to  the  place 
and  saw,  looked  on  the  unfortunate  victim  by  the  way- 
side, seems  to  have  been  more  deliberate  and  perhaps 
kindly  disposed  than  the  priest ;  but,  like  him,  he  passed 
by  on  the  other  side,  without  attempting  any  assist- 
ance. Now,  in  attempting  to  explain  why  these  two 
acted  so  contrary  to  what  might  have  been  expected  of 
them,  both  as  men  and  as  exponents  of  a  religion  that 
forbade  such  treatment  of  even  the  ox  or  ass  of  an  enemy 
(Ex.  xxiii.  4,  5  ;  Deut.  xxii.  1-4;  Is.  Iviii.  7),  it  is  not 
necessary  to  charge  them  with  an  indifferent,  cold,  cruel 
inhumanity.  It  is  likely  enough  that  they  were  so  taken 
up  with  the  sense  of  their  own  danger  in  that  place  that 
they  turned  aside  from  the  law  of  kindness,  which  their 
inmost  conscience  tied  them  to,  and  thought  only  of 
themselves.  They  may  have  excused  themselves  by  the 
thought  that  the  man  was  evidently  so  ill-used  that  he 
would  certainly  die,  or  that  they  did  not  have  any  means 
at  hand  for  succoring  him  ;  and  they  may  have  imagined 
the  robbers  as  near  by,  with  the  suffering  man  as  a  decoy 
for  other  defenceless  travellers  like  themselves,  ready  to 
spring  out  and  treat  them  likewise.  Whatever  motives 
influenced  them,  they  both  followed  that  law  of  selfish- 
ness which  is  a  tap-root  of  sin,  and  showed  none  of  that 
love  which  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law. 

33,  34.  But  a  certain  Samaritan,  as  he  journeyed,  came  where  he  was  : 
and  when  he  saw  him,  he  was  moved  with  compassion,  and  came  to  him, 
and  bound  up  his  wounds,  pouring  on  the7n  oil  and  wine;  and  set  him  on 
his  own  beast,  and  brought  him  to  an  inn,  and  took  care  of  him. 

33.  But  here  comes  another  traveller.     HeisaSamari= 


212  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [x.  33. 

tan,  one  of  that  mixed  people,  of  heathen  and  Jewish 
origin,  that  came  to  possess  the  district  between  GaHlee 
and  Judaea  after  Israel's  captivity,  the  detestation  of  the 
pious  (!)  Jew.  Usually  they  requited  the  hatred  of  the 
Jews  with  like  feelings.  In  ix.  51-56  we  see  something 
of  this  spirit,  and  the  Jerusalem  Jews  gratified  their 
hatred  toward  Jesus  by  saying  (John  viii.  48),  "Say  we 
not  well  that  thou  art  a  Samaritan  and  hast  a  devil  ?  "  As 
he  journeyed.  On  a  longer  trip  than  either  the  priest 
or  the  Levite.  When  he  saw  him,  he  was  moved  with 
compassion,  and  suffered  his  sympathies  to  move  him. 

34.  He  came  to  the  poor  man  lying  there,  got  off  the 
beast  on  which  he  was  riding,  instead  of  whipping  him 
up  the  faster,  and  bound  up  the  sufferer's  wounds,  likely 
tearing  some  of  his  own  garments  to  do  this,  and,  pouring 
on  them  oil  and  wine,  whose  healing  properties  made 
these  a  usual  remedy  for  wounds,  thus  did  all  he  could 
for  the  distressed  man's  present  relief.  Probably  the 
Samaritan  had  small  quantities  of  oil  and  wine  as  wise 
precautions  for  one  taking  the  journey  he  was  on.  (Comp. 
Gen.  xxviii.  18.)  But  it  would  not  do  to  let  the  man  lie 
there  in  the  hot  sun,  unattended.  So  the  compassionate 
Samaritan  set  him  on  his  own  beast,  and,  himself 
trudging  along  on  foot,  brought  him  to  an  inn  and  took 
care  of  him.  All  the  while,  whatever  thoughts  of  his 
own  danger  arose  in  the  Samaritan's  mind,  as  he  delayed, 
to  dress  the  man's  wounds,  and  then  slowly  moved  on 
with  his  charge,  he  heeded  them  not,  nor  made  much  of 
the  personal  discomfort  he  was  thus  put  to.  Self  was 
kept  in  abeyance  ;  a  fellow-man's  need  drew  out  his  pity 
and  his  help.  If  the  wounded  man  was  a  Jew,  which  he 
may  have  been,  the  instance  of  kindness  becomes  still 
more  impressive. 


X.  35-37]  CHAPTER  X.  213 

35.  And  on  the  morrow  he  took  out  two  pence,  and  gave  them  to  the 
host,  and  said.  Take  care  of  him ;  and  whatsoever  thou  spendest  more,  I, 
when  I  come  back  again,  will  repay  thee. 

35.  When  he  departed  on  the  morrow,  he  would  still 
provide  for  the  unfortunate.  Two  pence  (denaria). 
Equal  to  about  thirty  cents,  which  was  two  days'  ordi- 
nary wages,  and  would  pay  for  some  days'  care.  To  the 
host.  This  shows  that  the  inn  here  was  not  the  empty 
khan  often  found  as  a  refuge,  but  a  place  of  entertain- 
ment more  like  our  wayside  inns,  presided  over  by  a  host, 
and  where  attentions  might  be  secured  by  paying  for 
them.  Hackett  giving  account  of  a  visit  to  this  region 
in  1852  says,  "There  are  the  ruins  now  of  such  a  shelter 
for  the  benighted  or  unfortunate  on  one  of  the  heights 
which  overlook  the  infested  road."  Whatsoever  thou 
spendest  more.  His  love  goes  out  to  more  future  con- 
tingencies. He  is  not  merely  satisfying  his  conscience, 
and  no  more.  When  I  come  again.  This  indicates  him 
to  have  been  a  known  and  frequent  traveller.  I  will  repay 
thee.     The  "  I  "  is  emphatic. 

36,  yj.  Which  of  these  three,  thinkest  thou,  proved  neighbour  unto  him 
that  fell  among  the  robbers  ?  And  he  said.  He  that  shewed  mercy  on  him. 
And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Go,  and  do  thou  likewise. 

36.  Here  now  were  specimens  of  conduct,  these  three, 
from  which  the  questioning  lawyer  might  judge  for  him- 
self— thinkest  thou  ? — what  true  neighborly  love  is.  In 
him  that  fell  among  the  robbers  was  a  needy  man,  a  fel- 
low-mortal. Which  proved  neighbour  unto  him  ?  Notice 
the  change  from  the  original  question  (ver.  29). 

37.  He  that  shewed  mercy  on  him.  Some  think  the 
lawyer  even  here  avoided  saying  "  The  Samaritan," 
through  the  hateful  spirit  alluded  to  above.  But  let  us 
give  him  the  benefit  of  the  doubt.  His  answer  was  more 
correct  and  instructive  than  if  he  had  used  the  shorter 


214  "^^E  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [x.  37-40. 

and  more  definite  designation.  Go,  and  instead  of  asking 
tempting  and  captious  questions,  do  thou — even  tJioii, 
Jewish  lawyer — do  thou  likewise.  Let  your  acts  prove 
your  character.  "  And  what  doth  the  Lord  require  of 
thee,  but  to  do  justly,  and  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk 
humbly  with  thy  God  ?  "     (Micah  vi.  8). 

38,-42.  Now  as  they  went  on  their  way,  he  entered  into  a  certain  village  : 
and  a  certain  woman  named  Martha  received  him  into  her  house.  And 
she  had  a  sister  called  Mary,  which  also  sat  at  the  Lord's  feet,  and  heard 
his  word.  But  Martha  was  cumbered  about  much  serving;  and  she  came 
up  to  him,  and  said.  Lord,  dost  thou  not  care  that  my  sister  did  leave  me 
to  serve  alone?  bid  her  therefore  that  she  help  me.  But  the  Lord  an- 
swered and  said  unto  her,  Martha,  Martha,  thou  art  anxious  and  troubled 
about  many  things  :  but  one  thing  is  needful ;  for  Mary  hath  chosen  the 
good  part,  which  shall  not  be  taken  away  from  her. 

38.  On  their  way.  In  the  journey  referred  to  in  ix. 
51-56.  The  village  was  Bethany,  flartha  seems  to  have 
been  the  housekeeper,  the  elder  of  the  sisters.  See 
more  about  this  interesting  household  in  John  xi.  Comp. 
also  John  xii.  1-3,  which  refers  to  a  different  enter- 
tainment from  the  one  here  spoken  of. 

39.  Mary,  besides  what  else  she  did,  also  sat  at  the 
Lord's  feet  as  a  learner,  intent  on  his  word.  She  was 
of  a  quiet,  contemplative,  restful  spirit,  and  listened  well 
and  learned. 

40.  But  Martha  was  cumbered,  distracted,  drawn  hither 
and  thither,  with  much  serving.  She  was  a  bustling 
busy  body,  without  quiet  and  repose.  She  made  the 
house  lively  in  doing  "  many  things  "  for  Jesus.  "  But 
in  the  midst  of  her  work,  which  she  began  with  good 
intention,  she  feels  an  indistinct  presentiment  that  her 
sister  was  enjoying  more  than  herself  the  presence  of 
Jesus  (that  she  had  the  better  part)  "  (Stier).  Accord- 
ingly she  came  up  to  him  who  was  her  guest  and  ought 


X.  40-42.]  CHAPTER  X.  2IS 

not  to  have  been  appealed  to  in  such  a  matter,  and  plead, 
Lord  .  .  .  care  .  .  .  sister  .  .  .  leave  me — it  appears 
that  Mary  had  at  first  taken  hold  with  Martha,  but  was 
so  drawn  to  Jesus  as  to  leave  everything  and  seek  His 
words — to  serve  alone?  She  would  even  have  Him 
leave  off  His  edifying  converse  and  bid  her  help  in 
household  duties. 

41.  In  reply  His  repeated  Martha,  Martha,  was  ear- 
nestly startling.  Thou  art  anxious.  In  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount  He  had  bidden  men  avoid  this  spirit  (Matt.  vi. 
25-34).  Troubled.  In  an  agitated  state  of  mind.  About 
many  things.  This  and  that,  one  thing  and  another, 
household  cares.  Her  inner  carefulness,  or  concern,  pro- 
duced outer  confusion,  tumultuousness.  Against  her 
"  many  things  "  the  Lord  declared  one  thing  as  needful. 
"  By  these  words  Jesus,  in  accordance  with  the  context, 
can  mean  nothing  else  than  that  from  which  Martha  had 
withdrawn,  while  Mary  was  bestowing  pains  upon  it — 
tJic  undivided  devotion  to  His  word  for  the  sake  of  salva- 
tion "  (Meyer). 

42.  He  courteously  puts  aside  Martha's  "  much  serv- 
ing "  as  not  what  He  desired  or  she  should  give  her 
strength  to.  And  in  illustration  of  what  He  meant, 
commending  her  whom  Martha  asked  Him  to  reprove. 
He  said,  For  Mary  hath  chosen  the  good  part,  the  one 
thing  which  is  above  all  others  in  worth,  viz.  to  humbly 
sit  at  Jesus'  feet  and  hear  His  word, — a  part  which  shall 
not  be  taken  away  from  her,  either  now,  according  to 
Martha's  request  in  ver.  40,  or  forever  ! 

So  the  contemplative,  quiet-spirited  Mary  wins  the 
divine  commendation,  and  bustling  Martha,  with  us  all, 
is  taught  a  lesson.  Observe  that  Jesus'  word  is  of  more 
account  than  things  done  for  Him, 


CHAPTER  XI. 

I.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  was  praying  in  a  certain  place,  that  when 
he  ceased,  one  of  his  disciples  saith  unto  him.  Lord,  teach  us  to  pray,  even 
as  John  also  taught  his  disciples. 

He  was  praying  in  a  certain  place,  we  know  not  where. 

The  reference  below  to  John  gives  color  to  the  view  that 

it  was  over  in  Peraea  where  John  at  first  baptized  (John 

X.  40-42).     The  Scriptures  represent  Jesus  as  a  man  of 

prayer.     In  this,  as  in  all  things,  He  is  our  great  and 

perfect  exemplar.     But  if  Jesus,  in  whom  dwelt  all  the 

fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily  (Col.  ii.  9),  and  who  was 

filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  given  without  measure  unto 

Him  (John  iii.  34),  needed  to  pray,  how  much  more  do 

we,  who  are  full  of  sin  and  all  unholy  and  unclean,  need 

to  pray  !     One  of  his  disciples,  not  of  the  Twelve,  but 

probably  one  who  had  not  been  a  disciple,  or  at  least  had 

not  been  present,  when  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  was 

spoken,    seeing   that   the    Master   prayed,    this    disciple 

was  now  moved  to  ask  Him,  Lord,  teach  us  to  pray  and 

refer  to  the  fact  John  also  taught  his  disciples  to  pray. 

If  any  think  they  do  need  to  be  taught  to  pray,  or  that 

prayer  is  such  a  spontaneous  heart-matter  that  it  ought 

not  and  cannot  be  taught,  let  them  here  learn  a  more 

humble    spirit    and   sensible   view   of  a  most   important 

spiritual  act.     Children  ought  to  be  taught  to  pray  :  and 

all  disciples  ought  to  be  little  children  in  receiving  the 

kingdom  of  God.      Young  men  ought  to  be  taught  to 

pray.     Theological  students  ought  to  be  taught  to  pray. 

216 


XI.  I,  2.]  CHAPTER  XI.  217 

Indeed  everybody  needs  to  be  so  taught ;  and  how  well 
it  would  be  if  every  one  were  willing  to  learn  !  To  this 
end  a  study  of  the  prayers  in  "  The  Common  Service  " 
and  other  Liturgies  and  books  of  prayer  will  be  found 
very  serviceable.  Prayer  has  been  well  said  to  be  the 
highest  act  of  man's  mental  powers.  To  make  a  suitable 
prayer  is  often  a  greater  strain  upon  a  man  than  the 
preaching  of  a  sermon.  It  is  often,  therefore,  a  help  to 
have  at  hand  a  proper  form  of  prayer  that  may  be  used. 

2-4.  And  he  said  unto  them,  When  ye  pray,  say.  Father,  Hallowed  be 
thy  name.  Thy  kingdom  come.  Give  us  day  by  day  our  daily  bread.  And 
forgive  us  our  sins  ;  for  we  ourselves  also  forgive  every  one  that  is  indebted 
to  us.     And  bring  us  not  into  temptation. 

Jesus  had  nothing  better  to  offer  these  inquiring  pupils 
than  what  He  had  given  them  in  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount  (Matt.  vi.  9-13)  perhaps  a  year  and  a  half  before 
this. 

2.  When  ye  pray,  say.  He  gives  them  a  form  as  well 
as  a  model ;  yet  it  is  not  an  empty  form,  but  one  full  of 
the  soul  of  worship  and  devotion.  A  perfect  model, 
taught  by  Him  who  is  the  way  to  God  (in  whose  name, 
Phil.  ii.  10,  every  knee  shall  bow,  to  be  accepted),  it  is 
called  "  The  Lord's  Prayer."  It  has  in  it  the  sum  and 
substance  of  all  right  prayer.  Books  upon  books  have 
been  written  upon  it  ;  it  is  an  inexhaustible  mine  of  in- 
struction and  devotion.  One  of  the  divisions  of  Luther's 
Catechism  is  devoted  to  it.  Study  that,  and  see  com- 
ments in  detail  on  Matt.  vi.  9-13.  The  prayer  here  is 
substantially  the  same  as  there,  but  more  condensed, 
according  to  the  text  adopted  by  the  Revisers  of  the 
Authorized  Version.  It  is  to  be  noted,  however,  that 
there  is  about  equal  authority  for  retaining  as  for  omit- 
ting the  passages  which  make  the  text  here  read  almost, 
identically  as  in  Matthew.      The  address  of  this  prayer 


2i8  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xi.  2-4. 

is  Father,  not  "  Most  Dread  Sovereign,"  "  Almighty 
Maker,"  "All-Holy  God,"  but  ''Father^'  a  word  of  hope- 
ful trust.  "  Be  ye  followers  of  God  as  dear  children  " 
(Eph.  V.  i). 

Hallowed,  counted  holy,  reverenced,  be  thy  name,  be 
thou,  however  thou  be  manifested — be  thou  thus  re- 
garded and  treated,  with  fear,  love  and  trust.  God  is  the 
stay  of  the  universe  :  "  Yea,  let  God  be  true,  but  every 
man  a  liar."  First,  last,  and  all  the  time  be  the  only,  the 
holy  God  sa?ictificd  by  all,  by  me  !  Man's  chief  end  is 
fellowship  with  God.  God's  "  name  "  is  not  the  letters 
that  spell  any  of  His  appellations,  but  "  Himself,  as  He 
is  made  known  to  us,  and  conceivable  by  us,  and  differ- 
enced from  all  other  beings  "  (Leighton).  Thy  king= 
dom — proclaimed  in  the  Law  and  the  Prophets,  and  by 
Jesus,  their  Fulfiller  ;  of  which  the  Son  is  King  (Ps.  ii. 
"  Crown  Him  Lord  of  All ") ;  the  fruits  of  which  are 
"righteousness  and  peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost" 
(Rom.  xiv.  17) — come,  in  all  the  world,  in  nic !  First 
the  kingdom  of  grace,  then  the  kingdom  of  glory  ! 

3.  Give  us.  This  marks  a  sense  of  dependence.  Day 
by  day.  This  shows  that  our  sense  of  dependence  should 
be  a  daily  one,  constant,  and  so  our  prayer.  "  Sufficient 
unto  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof,"  and  the  food  thereof. 
Our  daily  bread.  So  Agur's  prayer,  Prov.  xxx.  8,  "  Food 
convenient  (proportionable)  for  me,  (or,  of  my  allowance)." 
Ours  by  thy  gift  upon  our  proper  industry  (2  Thess.  iii. 
10-12),  not  earned  by  the  unrecompensed  sweat  of  some 
other  body's  face  ! 

4.  And  forgive  us  our  sins.  In  Matt.  (vi.  12)  the  word 
is  "  debts,"  explained  (in  vers.  14  and  1 5)  "  as  trespasses  ;  " 
which  word  is  oftenest  used  in  the  public  use  of  this 
prayer.  It  certainly  refers  to  moral  delinquencies  ;  and 
the  petition  implies  a  sense  of  sin  and  guilt,  humble  ac- 


XI.  4-6.]  CHAPTER  XL  219 

knowledgment  of  the  same,  belief  that  there  is  forgive- 
ness with  God,  and  earnest  desire  for  deHverance.  For 
we  ourselves  also  forgive  those  morally  delinquent  to- 
ward us.  That  "  as"  in  Matthew  vi,  12  is  equivalent  to 
inasiiiucJi  as,  since,  is  shown  by  Luke's  "  for,"  indicating  a 
gracious  preparedness  in  the  supplicant  to  receive  the 
divine  forgiveness.  It  is  not  to  be  used  as  a  word  of 
measure  or  of  merit.  And  bring  us  not,  in  Thy  providence 
which  is  over  all  Thy  works,  and  in  Thy  power  which  is 
greater  than  the  devil's,  who  is  only  permitted  to  assail 
character  (Job  i.  12 ;  ii.  6),  into  temptation.  Here  is  ex- 
pressed a  consciousness  of  weakness  which  runs  to  God 
for  protection.  (Comp.  Matt.  iv.  i ;  xxvi.  41 ;  i  Cor.  x. 
13  ;  Jas.  i.  2,  3,  12-18 ;  Rev.  iii.  10.) 

5,  6.  And  he  said  unto  them,  Which  of  you  shall  have  a  friend,  and  shall 
go  unto  him  at  midnight,  and  say  unto  him,  P>iend,  lend  me  three  loaves  ; 
for  a  friend  of  mine  is  come  to  me  from  a  journey,  and  I  have  nothing  to 
set  before  him. 

5,6.  Shall  have  a  friend.  He  illustrates  from  ordinary 
relations  in  life  and  common  experience,  and  the  argu- 
ment is  what  is  called  a  fortiori,  from  the  less  to  the 
greater.  Shall  go  unto  him,  relying  on  his  friendship, 
according  to  the  proverb,  "  A  friend  loveth  at  all  times."  A 
friend  in  need  is  a  friend  indeed.  At  midnight.  Avery 
unseasonable  hour.  A  call  then  would  be  a  severer  test 
of  friendship  than  at  other  times.  It  is  midday  for  us 
who  are  here  encouraged  to  go  to  God.  The  Sun  of 
Righteousness  is  shining  in  His  power  :  and  "  now  is  the 
accepted  time." 

Three  loaves.  Their  loaves  were  small.  "  Three  "  are 
asked,  probably,  both  for  abundance  and  for  hospitable 
appearance.  The  appeal  was  not  for  his  own  needs  :  a 
friend  .  .  .  come  .  .  .  from  a  journey.  Just  arrived, 
night  being  the  pleasant  time  for  travel  in  many  parts  of 


220  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xi.  6-8. 

the  East.  Our  missionaries  in  India  write  about  their 
journeyings  in  the  night.  This  petition,  then,  was  inter- 
cessory, for  another.  The  friend  would  naturally  need 
food  after  travelling.  Nothing  to  set  before  him.  The 
pantry  was  empty ;  a  poor  show  for  hospitality  on  the 
one  hand,  and  for  a  hungry  stomach  on  the  other, 

I  have  nothing.  That  is  our  human  inability  to  sup- 
ply the  needs  of  a  perishing  sinner.  We  have  nothing 
to  satisfy  the  hungry  soul ;  and  none  can  save  his  brother 
alive.  Hence  we  must  go  to  the  source  of  all  supply,  to 
find  grace  for  ourselves  and  for  our  fellow-men. 

7.  And  he  from  within  shall  answer  and  say,  Trouble  me  not :  the  door  is 
now  shut,  and  my  children  are  with  me  in  bed;  I  cannot  rise  and  give  thee  ? 

7.  We  all  know  the  disagreeableness  of  being  waked  up 
about  midnight  from  the  soundness  of  our  first  sleep,  and 
can  understand  the  situation  of  the  friend  appealed  to. 
He  from  within  is  represented  as  calling  out,  without 
getting  up  or  opening  the  door.  Trouble  me  not.  Self- 
ishness asserted  itself  against  neighborly  love.  The  door 
.  ,  .  shut,  bolted  for  the  night :  children  ...  all  of  us 
in  bed  ;  it  will  disturb  the  whole  house.  The  house  is 
not  to  be  supposed  a  capacious  one  like  many  of  ours.  I 
cannot  rise  and  give  thee.  You  are  welcome  enough  to 
the  bread,  but  I  cannot  be  disturbed  now  to  get  it.  Such 
is  the  situation  and  prospect. 

8.  I  say  unto  you.  Though  he  will  not  rise  and  give  him,  because  he  is 
his  friend,  yet  because  of  his  importunity  he  will  arise  and  give  him  as  many 
as  he  needeth. 

8.  He  does  not  prove  to  be  a  very  good  friend,  but  he 
has  plenty  of  human  nature,  and  the  Lord  knows  it  per- 
fectly and  adds,  I  say  unto  you,  Though  .  .  .  not  .  .  , 
because  .  .  .  his  friend,  yet  because  of  his  importunity, 

because  he  keeps  on  knocking  and  asking,  worrying  the 


XI.  8-10.]  CHAPTER  XI.  221 

housekeeper  out  of  patience,  he  will  arise,  moved  by  self- 
ishness, to  get  rid  of  the  man  and  his  disturbance,  and 
give  him  as  many  as  he  needeth.  The  point  seems  to 
be  that  after  ah  the  appHcant  gets  what  he  came  for. 

9.  And  I  say  unto  you,  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you ;  seek,  and  ye 
shall  find  ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you. 

See  on  Matt.  vii.  7-1 1,  where  ahnost  the  same  words  are 
found  as  here  in  vers.  9-13. 

9.  And  I  (emphatic)  say  unto  you.  Of  course  in  il- 
lustrating divine  by  human  things  many  points  of  com- 
parison must  necessarily  fail.  Here  there  is  more  con- 
trast than  comparison,  as  in  the  parable  of  the  unjust 
judge  (xviii.  1-7).  If  a  selfish  sinner,  and  an  unjust  judge 
can  be  moved  by  persistence  to  do  what  his  selfishness  or 
injustice  at  first  refused,  shall  not  the  holy  and  righteous 
God  be  appealed  to  with  the  greater  certainty  of  success  ? 
Right  principle  will  go  further  than  wrong.  Ask — seek — - 
knock.  A  climax  of  intensity  of  desire  and  effort.  We 
ask  for  what  we  need  ;  we  seek  what  we  do  not  have,  or 
what  is  lost  ;  we  knock  to  gain  admittance  where  this  is  in 
another  power  than  our  own.  The  ordinary  law,  which 
holds  also  in  our  relations  to  God,  is  that  it  shall  be 
given  to  him  who  asks,  he  who  seeks  shall  find,  and  it 
shall  be  opened  to  him  who  knocks.  Now,  "  as  a  Son 
over  his  own  house,"  Jesus  with  authority  applies  this 
law  to  the  heavenly  kingdom. 

10.  For  every  one  that  asketh  receiveth ;  and  he  that  seeketh  findeth  ; 
and  to  him  that  knocketh  it  shall  be  opened. 

10.  Of  course  arbitrariness  is  excluded.  This  law  does 
not  subvert  the  other  laws  and  general  character  of  God's 
kingdom  and  dealings  with  men.  "  Ye  ask  and  receive 
not,  because  ye  ask  amiss,"  says  James  (iv.  3),  "  that  ye 
may   consume   it    upon    your   lusts."     Every   one   that 


222  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xi.  lo. 

asketh  in  faith  and  according  to  the  will  of  God, 
receiveth :  not  always  the  exact  thing  asked  for,  or  at 
that  particular  time,  yet  some  time.  Paul  prayed  that 
his  "  thorn  in  the  flesh  "  might  be  removed  ;  but,  instead 
of  doing  just  that,  God  said,  "  My  grace  is  sufificient  for 
thee."  Jesus,  in  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane,  prayed  so 
earnestly,  "  O,  my  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup 
pass  from  me!"  An  angel  was  sent  to  strengthen  Him, 
but  He  drank  the  bitter  cup  to  the  dregs.  "  Wait  on  the 
Lord,  and  he  shall  save  thee."  If  God  does  not  give 
us  what  we  importune  Him  for,  He  gives  us  something 
better.  And  he  that  seeketh,  findeth.  Yet  is  there  a 
time  and  order  for  seeking.  "  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while 
he  may  be  found  ;  call  ye  upon  him  while  he  is  near." 
"  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness, 
and  all  these  things  (see  Matt.  vi.  33)  shall  be  added  unto 
you."  The  time  is  coming  when  "  many  shall  seek  to 
enter  in  (at  the  strait  gate),  and  shall  not  be  able  "  (xiii. 
24).  And  to  him  that  knocketh  it  shall  be  opened.  Yet 
is  there  a  time  coming  when  the  door  will  be  shut,  and 
to  those  who  stand  without  and  knock,  and  cry,  "  Lord, 
open  unto  us,"  it  will  still  remain  shut.  Too  late  !  See 
xiii.  24-30;  and  Matt.  xxv.  1-46.  But  the  Lord  in  our 
lesson  speaks  of  this  present  gracious  time  when  the  king- 
dom of  God  is  come  nigh  to  men  and  they  press  into  it. 
"■  Noiv  is  the  accepted  time  ;  this  is  the  day  of  salvation.'" 
Therefore  ask,  seek,  knock !  There  is  also  another  side 
to  this :  how  often  Jesus  knocks  at  people's  hearts,  and  is 
refused  admittance  !  "  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and 
knock.  If  any  man  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him." 
That  "  ?/■"  marks  man's  tremendous  power  of  rejecting 
his  Saviour ! 

11,12.     And  of  which  of  you  that  is  a  father  shall  his  son  ask  a  loaf,  and 


xr.  11-13.]  CHAPTER  XI.  223 

he  give  him  a  stone  ?  or  a  fish,  and  he  for  a  fish  give  him  a  serpent  ?     Or 
//"he  shall  ask  an  egg,  will  he  give  him  a  scorpion  ? 

II,  12.  Now  the  Lord  appeals  to  their  consciousness 
of  the  tender  love  existing  between  a  son  and  a  father. 
He  had  just  taught  them  to  address  God  as  "  Father  ;  " 
He  will  carry  out  the  relation  to  its  consequences.  And 
first,  how  is  it  with  any  of  you  ?  If  a  son  of  yours  shall  ask 
a  loaf,  will  he  give  him  a  stone,  deceiving  and  vexing  him  ? 
We  are  told  that  their  loaves  were  shaped  like  a  smooth, 
flat  stone.  For  a  fish.  Bread  and  fish  were  common 
articles  of  food.  Give  him  a  serpent?  Which  might 
resemble  a  fish,  as  an  eel  or  perch,  but  would  be  hurtful. 
Will  he  give  him  a  scorpion  ?  Which,  of  the  white  kind 
and  rolled  up,  might  resemble  the  asked-for  egg,  but  in 
no  way  take  its  place,  being  utterly  unfit  for  food,  and, 
besides,  dangerous  to  handle. 

Now,  suppose  a  son  should,  in  his  ignorance  or  error, 
ask  a  scorpion  for  an  &%^,  or  a  serpent  for  a  fish,  or  a 
stone  for  bread  ;  would  any  of  you  that  is  a  father  give 
it  to  him,  to  his  hurt  ?  So,  if  we  ask  amiss,  for  things 
that  are  not  good  for  us,  it  is  our  heavenly  Father's 
kindness  and  love  not  to  grant  such  requests.  And 
He  knows  wJiat  is  best,  and  Jioiv,  and  when. 

13.  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  chil- 
dren, how  much  more  shaXXyour  heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
them  that  ask  him  ? 

13.  Here  is  a  summing  up  of  the  argument.  Ye, 
earthly  fathers,  being  evil,  belonging  to  Adam's  fallen 
race,  imperfect,  depraved  in  knowledge,  affections  and 
will,  nevertheless  know  how  to  give  good  gifts,  beneficial, 
helpful,  answering  the  need,  unto  your  children,  because 
they  are  flesh  of  your  flesh  and  near  to  your  hearts, 
loving  and  beloved ;  how  much  more  shall  your  heavenly 


224  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xi.  13. 

Father,  your  Father  from  heaven  (for  so  the  original  is), 
not  sinful  or  imperfect,  like  all  earthly  things,  but  un- 
selfish, loving,  faithful,  give  the  Holy  Spirit — in  Matthew 
it  is  "  good  things  " — to  them  that  asl<:  him  ?  The  best 
thing  God  can  give  His  children  is  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
He,  therefore,  stands  as  comprehending  all  "  good  things." 
Nor  are  we  justified  from  this  in  referring  to  spiritual 
gifts  and  graces  only  the  great  promises  here  given  to 
importunity  in  prayer,  though  we  know  that  such  things 
are  according  to  the  divine  will  and  we  may  always  plead 
for  them,  if  we  do  so  in  a  proper  spirit ;  but  the  promises 
and  incitements  here  refer  to  "  all  things  "  (Matt.  xxi.  22) 
that  may  be  needful  for  us,  including  daily  bread  and 
temporal  good  :  for  spiritual,  it  has  been  well  said,  is  not 
opposite  to  tcviporal  but  to  carnal,  that  which  serves  and 
inflames  our  depraved  nature.  There  is  nothing  which 
engages  a  Christian,  in  reference  to  which  he  may  not 
seek  God  and  ask  wisdom  and  direction.  "  Whether, 
therefore,  ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to 
the  glory  of  God."  But  all  our  askings,  seekings  and 
knockings  should  be  in  humble  acknowledgment  of  our 
Father's  greater  knowledge  and  in  humble  submission  to 
His  ever-wise  will.  We  may  not  ever  demand  anything 
from  our  heavenly  Father!  But  why  ask  Him  if  He 
already  is  fully  acquainted  with  our  wants? — For  several 
obvious  reasons.  First,  Asking,  seeking,  knocking,  prepares 
us  to  receive  God's  good  gifts.  Here  is  the  subjective  side 
of  prayer,  in  which,  by  the  very  nature  of  the  exercise, 
and  by  communion  with  God,  our  souls  are  lifted  into  a 
higher  sphere  and  we  receive  a  spiritual  power.  Secondly, 
because  God  has  seen  fit  to  make  His  gifts  in  many 
respects  dependent  on  our  asking,  seeking,  knocking. 
"  Even  so.  Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good  in  Thy  sight." 
Prayer   is   both   a   privilege  and  a  duty.     It  is  its  own 


XI.  13-23]  CHAPTER  XI. 


225 


reward,  at  the  same  time  that  it  secures  for  the  petitioner 
what  he  otherwise  would  not  get. 

14-23.  And  he  was  casting  out  a  devil  which  was  dumb.  And  it  came  to 
pass,  when  the  devil  was  gone  out,  the  dumb  man  spake  ;  and  the  multitudes 
marvelled.  But  some  of  them  said.  By  Beelzebub  the  prince  of  the  devils 
casteth  he  out  devils.  And  others,  tempting  /«>«,  sought  of  him  a  sign  from 
heaven.  But  he,  knowing  their  thoughts,  said  unto  them.  Every  kingdom 
divided  against  itself  is  brought  to  desolation  ;  and  a  house  divided agaAWht 
a  house  falleth.  And  if  Satan  also  is  divided  against  himself,  how  shall 
his  kingdom  stand  ?  because  ye  say  that  I  cast  out  devils  by  Beelzebub. 
And  if  I  by  Beelzebub  cast  out  devils,  by  whom  do  your  sons  cast  them 
out  ?  therefore  shall  they  be  your  judges.  But  if  I  by  the  finger  of  God 
cast  out  devils,  then  is  the  kingdom  of  God  come  upon  you.  When  the 
strong /«(?«  fully  armed  guardeth  his  own  court,  his  goods  are  in  peace: 
but  when  a  stronger  than  he  shall  come  upon  him,  and  overcome  him,  he 
taketh  from  him  his  whole  armour  wherein  he  trusted,  and  divideth  his  spoils. 
He  that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me  ;  and  he  that  gathereth  not  with  me 
scattereth. 

See  on  Matt.  xii.  22-30  ;  and  Mark  iii.  22-27. 

What  is  here  recorded  by  Luke  is  almost  identical  with 
what  Matthew  and  Mark  give  in  the  places  referred  to, 
and  the  exposition  there  will  do  for  this  place  also,  though 
Luke's  account  is  probably  of  an  entirely  different 
occasion.' 

1  Broadus,  in  his  Harmony,  p.  113,  note,  says  :  "  It  is  perfectly  natural 
that  the  blasphemous  accivsation  made  in  Galilee  (Matt.  xii.  22,  ff. ;  Mark 
iii.  22,  ff.)  should  be  repeated  a  year  or  so  afterward  in  Judsea  or  Perxa, 
and  that  Jesus  should  make  substantially  the  same  argument  in  reply.  This 
sort  of  thing  occurs  to  every  travelling  religious  teacher.  Our  Lord  does 
not  here  give  the  solemn  warning  that  such  an  accusation  is  really 
blaspheming  against  the  Holy  Spirit  and  is  unpardonable.  (See  Luke  xii. 
10.)  And  the  subsequent  occurrences  are  quite  different  in  the  two  cases. 
In  Matthew  and  Mark  He  afterward  goes  out  by  the  lake-side  and  gives 
the  great  group  of  parables,  presently  explaining  some  of  them  to  the  dis- 
ciples in  a  house,  and  then  crosses  the  lake  to  Gerasa,  etc.  Here,  in  Luke, 
He  breakfasts  with  a  Pharisee,  and  utters  such  solemn  woes  against  the 
Pharisees  as  are  found  only  in  the  closing  months  of  His  ministry,  and 
then  gives  to  vast  multitudes  a  series  of  instructions  wholly  unhke  the 
great  group  of  parables.  So  it  is  quite  unsuitable  to  identify  this  occurrence 
with  that  of  Matt.  xii.  22,  ff. ;  Mark  iii.  22,  ff." 
15 


2  26  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xi.  24-28. 

24-26.  The  unclean  spirit  when  he  is  gone  out  of  the  man,  passeth 
through  waterless  places,  seeking  rest ;  and  finding  none,  he  saith,  I  will 
turn  back  unto  my  house  whence  I  came  out.  And  when  he  is  come,  he 
findeth  it  swept  and  garnished.  Then  goeth  he,  and  taketh  to  him  seven 
other  spirits  more  evil  than  himself;  and  they  enter  in  and  dwell  there  :  and 
the  last  state  of  that  man  becometh  worse  than  the  first. 

See  on  Matt.  xii.  43-45. 

27,  28.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  said  these  things,  a  certain  woman 
out  of  the  multitude  lifted  up  her  voice,  and  said  unto  him.  Blessed  is  the 
womb  that  bare  thee,  and  the  breasts  which  thou  didst  suck.  But  he  said, 
Yea  rather,  blessed  are  they  that  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  keep  it. 

27.  Thoroughly  impressed  with  Jesus'  greatness  as  he 
said  these  things,  some  woman  lifted  .  ,  .  voice  and 
right  out  of  the  multitude  cried,  Blessed — is  Thy  mother ! 
Whilst  some  accord  to  this  woman  an  earnest  feeling  and 
deep  understanding,  Stier,  on  the  contrary,  regards  her 
utterance  as  unenlightened,  empty  praise,  equivalent  to 
"  O  how  must  Thy  mother  rejoice  over  Thee — would  I 
were  she ! " 

28.  It  would  not  to  do  pass  this  outcry  by  unnoticed. 
What  did  He  say  to  it  ?  Yea  rather.  This  is  both  con- 
firmatory and  corrective  of  what  the  woman  said :  con- 
firmatory, for  higher  than  she  had  long  ago  (i.  28,  42) 
pronounced  blessing  upon  Mary,  and  she  was  blessed ; 
corrective,  however,  of  the  merely  external  and  natural 
basis  of  the  tribute  given.  "  Jesus  does  not  deny  His 
mother's  blessedness,  but  He  defines  the  predicate  iJ.ay.dpio(s 
["  blessed  "],  not  as  the  woman  had  done,  as  a  special 
external  relation,  but  as  a  general  moral  relation,  which 
might  be  established  in  the  case  of  every  one,  and  under 
which  even  Mary  was  brought,  so  that  thus  the  benedic- 
tion upon  the  mother,  merely  considered  as  mother^  is 
corrected  "  (Meyer).  Above  this  natural  relation  Jesus 
puts  all  who  hear  the  word  of  God  and  keep  it. 


XI.  28-36.]  CHAPTER  XI.  227 

"  Only  because  Mary  had  received  the  word  of  God 
with  such  entire  and  unhesitating  faith,  had  she  received 
that  honor  "  (Stier) — of  being  Jesus'  mother,  (Comp. 
viii.  19-21  ;  Matt.  xii.  46-50;  Mark  iii.  31-35.) 

29-32.  And  when  the  multitudes  were  gathering  together  unto  him,  he 
began  to  say,  This  generation  is  an  evil  generation :  it  seeketh  after  a  sign  ; 
and  there  shall  no  sign  be  given  to  it  but  the  sign  of  Jonah.  For  even  as 
Jonah  became  a  sign  unto  the  Ninevites,  so  shall  also  the  Son  of  man  be 
to  this  generation.  The  queen  of  the  south  shall  rise  up  in  the  judgment 
with  the  men  of  this  generation,  and  shall  condemn  them :  for  she  came 
from  the  ends  of  the  earth  to  hear  the  wisdom  of  Solomon ;  and  behold,  a 
greater  than  Solomon  is  here.  The  men  of  Nineveh  shall  stand  up  in  the 
judgment  with  this  generation,  and  shall  condemn  it:  for  they  repented  at 
the  preaching  of  Jonah  ;  and  behold,  a  greater  than  Jonah  is  here. 

See  on  Matt.  xii.  39-42. 

33-36.  No  man,  when  he  hath  lighted  a  lamp,  putteth  it  in  a  cellar, 
neither  under  the  bushel,  but  on  the  stand,  that  they  which  enter  in  may 
see  the  light.  The  lamp  of  thy  body  is  thine  eye  :  when  thine  eye  is  single, 
thy  whole  body  also  is  full  of  light ;  but  when  it  is  evil,  thy  body  also  is  full 
of  darkness.  Look  therefore  whether  the  light  that  is  in  thee  be  not  dark- 
ness. If  therefore  thy  whole  body  be  full  of  light,  having  no  part  dark,  it 
shall  be  wholly  full  of  light,  as  when  the  lamp  with  its  bright  shining  doth 
give  thee  light. 

See  on  viii.  16;  Matt.  v.  15  ;  vi.  22,  23  ;  Mark  iv.  21. 

33-36.  God  does  not  do  what  no  man  would  do — make  a 
light  and  hide  it.  On  the  other  hand  when  God  sets  forth 
the  light,  man  must  see  that  his  eye  is  single,  clear,  pure, 
bright,  open,  that  he  may*see  what  God  sets  forth.  God 
has  given  men  something  to  see  and  faculties  for  seeing 
it.  But  "  an  evil  generation"  (vers.  29-32)  may  prevent 
the  proper  effect  of  this  plan  and  cause  darkness  where 
there  should  be  light.  A  common  proverb  says,  "  There 
are  none  so  blind  as  those  who  will  not  see," 

37.  Now  as  he  spake,  a  Pharisee  asketh  him  to  dine  with  him  :  and  he 
went  in,  and  sat  down  to  meat. 


228  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xi.  37-40. 

37.  The  invitation  of  a  Pharisee  to  Jesus  to  dine — it 
should  be  breakfast — withi  him  was  probably  not  dictated 
by  pure  friendship.  There  was  an  ulterior  reason,  as 
often  in  similar  invitations  among  us.  The  further  course 
of  the  narrative  justifies  this  observation.  Jesus  was 
accustomed  to  accept  social  invitations.  He  "  came  eat- 
ing and  drinking,"  and  was  not  an  ascetic. 

38.  And  when  the  Pharisee  saw  it,  he  marvelled  that  he  had  not  first 
washed  before  dinner. 

38.  Washed.  The  Greek  is  i[iar.ri(TOrj,  and  even  an  Eng- 
lish reader  can  see  that  this  is  the  word  usually  translated 
"  baptized."  Those  who  insist  that  this  word  must  mean 
immerse  must  be  in  a  quandary  here!  Meyer  suggests 
"  a  bath  !  "  We  are  quite  satisfied  with  the  translation 
we  have.     See  on  Matt.  xv.  2  and  Mark  vii.  2-5. 

39-41.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Now  do  ye  Pharisees  cleanse  the 
outside  of  the  cup  and  of  the  platter  ;  but  your  inward  part  is  full  of  extor- 
tion and  wickedness.  Ye  foolish  ones,  did  not  he  that  made  the  outside 
make  the  inside  also  ?  liowbeit  give  for  alms  those  things  which  are 
within ;  and  behold,  all  things  are  clean  unto  you. 

See  on  Matt,  xxiii.  25,  26. 

39.  Now  appears  to  refer  to  something  the  Pharisee 
had  said,  or  to  Jesus'  knowledge  of  his  thoughts.  Your 
inward  part  at  once  transfers  the  thought  from  the  cup 
and  platter  to  their  persons,  and  makes  immediate  appli- 
cation of  the  principle  involved.  Extortion  and  wicked= 
ness  are  moral  characteristics  that  can  belong  only  to 
persons.  The  Pharisees  were  externally  punctilious  but 
internally  corrupt.  Jesus  forcibly  rebukes  them.  He 
always  seasoned  social  gatherings  and  repasts  with  the 
better  fare  of  divine  instruction. 

40.  Foolish  ones  expresses  it  better  than  our  abrupt 
"  fools."     The    Pharisees'  course  of  externalism    would 


XI.  40-44-]  CHAPTER  XL  229 

not  bear  the  judgment  of  reason  or  wisdom.  The  inside 
of  anything  is  as  important  as  the  outside,  but  this  is 
especially  so,  and  infinitely  more  so,  in  the  case  of  a 
human  being,  the  chief  work  on  earth  of  the  great 
Creator.  How  irrational  to  act  as  if  man  were  all  or 
chiefly  outside,  and  could  realize  his  destiny  by  exter- 
nalism ! 

41.  Instead,  therefore,  of  being  filled  with  extortion, 
covetousness,  rapacity  and  other  wickedness,  give  for 
alms,  make  a  charitable  use  of,  by  loving  activity,  those 
things  which  are  within,  the  inside,  the  contents,  and, 
cleansed  within,  all  things  are  clean.  Work  from  within 
out,  as  the  true  order.  Be  more  concerned  for  your 
hearts  than  for  your  hands.  Be  washed  with  the  wash- 
ing of  regeneration  and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
(Tit.  iii.  5)  rather  than  washed  with  mere  water.  "  Cre- 
ate in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God,  and  renew  a  right  spirit 
within  me  "  (Ps.  li.  10),  and  then  "to  the  pure  all  things 
are  pure  "  (Tit.  i.  15). 

42-44.  But  woe  unto  you  Pharisees !  for  ye  tithe  mint  and  rue  and  every 
herb,  and  pass  over  judgment  and  the  love  of  God  :  but  these  ought  ye  to 
have  done,  and  not  to  leave  the  other  undone.  Woe  unto  you  Pharisees ! 
for  ye  love  the  chief  seats  in  the  synagogues,  and  the  salutations  in  the 
marketplaces.  Woe  unto  you  !  for  ye  are  as  the  tombs  which  appear  not, 
and  the  men  that  walk  over  them  know  it  not. 

42.  See  on  Matt,  xxiii.  23.  Where  Matthew  has 
"mercy  and  faith  "  Luke  has  the  love  of  God — another 
way  of  saying  the  same  thing,  going  to  the  source. 

43.  See  on  Matt,  xxiii.  6,  ff. 

44.  See  on  Matt,  xxiii.  27,  28.  Often  things  and  per- 
sons, especially  the  latter,  are  not  what  they  seem.  "  All 
is  not  gold  that  glitters." 

45,  46.  And  one  of  the  lawyers  answering  saith  unto  him,  Master, 
in  saying  this   thou  reproachest   us  also.     And  he  said,  Woe  unto  you 


230  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xi.  45-48. 

lawyers  also  !  for  ye  laid  men  with  burdens  grievous   to  be  borne,  and  ye 
yourselves  touch  not  the  burdens  with  one  of  your  fingers. 

45.  On  the  lawyers  see  on  x.  25.  Most  of  these  were 
Pharisees.  When  he  says  us  also  he  distinguishes  his 
class  as,  perhaps,  more  learned  than  others. 

46.  Jesus  did  not  shrink  from  the  implication,  but  pro- 
ceeded to  a  more  direct  woe  on  that  very  class.  (See  on 
Matt,  xxiii.  4.)  Such  men  could  not  be  in  fellowship  with 
Him  who  "  daily  beareth  our  burdens  "  (Ps.  Ixviii.  19),  or 
with  His  Son,  the  bearer  of  the  sins  of  the  world,  the 
impersonation  of  the  loving  direction,  "  Cast  thy  burden 
on  the  Lord  and  he  will  sustain  thee  "  (Ps.  Iv.  22). 

47.  48.  Woe  unto  you  !  for  ye  build  the  tombs  of  the  prophets,  and 
your  fathers  killed  them.  So  ye  are  witnesses  and  consent  unto  the  works 
of  your  fathers :  for  they  killed  them,  and  ye  build  their  tombs. 

See  on  Matt,  xxiii.  29-32. 

47.  Certainly  the  building  of  the  tombs  of  the  prophets 
was  not  itself  a  ground  of  the  woe  pronounced  ;  for  they 
did  this  in  honor  of  the  prophets.  Rather  did  it  con- 
firm the  relation  in  which  they  stood  to  the  prophet- 
killing  fathers. 

48.  They  killed  .  .  .  you  build — but  in  character  you 
are  not  different  from  them.  They  disregarded  and  dis- 
honored the  prophets  of  their  day,  and  whilst  you  by 
building  tombs  profess  to  honor  those  prophets,  you  in 
like  manner  dishonor  the  prophets  of  your  day.  "  Ask 
in  Moses'  times,  who  are  the  good  people?  They  will  be 
Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob  ;  but  not  Moses^ — he  should 
be  stoned.  Ask  in  Samuel's  times,  who  are  the  good 
people?  They  will  be  Moses  and  Joshua;  but  not 
Samuel.  Ask  in  the  times  of  Christ,  and  they  will  be  all 
the  former  prophets  with  Samuel ;  but  not  Christ  and  His 
apostles  "  (Berlenb.  Bibel). 


XI.  49-53-]  CHAPTER  XL  231 

49-51.  Therefore  also  said  the  wisdom  of  God,  I  will  send  unto  them 
prophets  and  apostles  ;  and  so7ne  of  them  they  shall  kill  and  persecute  ;  that 
the  blood  of  all  the  prophets,  which  was  shed  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  may  be  required  of  this  generation  ;  from  the  blood  of  Abel  unto  the 
blood  of  Zachariah,  who  perished  between  the  altar  and  the  sanctuary  :  yea, 
I  say  unto  you,  it  shall  be  required  of  this  generation. 

See  on  Matt,  xxiii.  34-36. 

49.  The  wisdom  of  God.  In  Matthew  it  is  "  I." 
Christ  is  the  wisdom  of  God.  Here  in  the  Pharisee's 
house  it  seemed  more  appropriate  to  use  the  impersonal 
expression.  Meyer  suggests  that  the  Lord  here  quotes 
Himself,  reaffirming  what  He  had  said  on  a  former  oc- 
casion. 

50,  51.  The  blood  of  all  ...  required  from  this 
generation.  An  accumulated  evil  inheritance.  A  judg- 
ment that  waited  long  for  repentance  and  had  at  last 
to  be  poured  out.  "  Woe,"  sure  enough.  The  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem  and  overthrow  of  Judaism  occurred 
thirty-eight  years  after  this. 

52.  Woe  unto  you  lawyers!  for  ye  took  away  the  key  of  knowledge:  ye 
entered  not  in  yourselves,  and  them  that  were  entering  in  ye  hindered. 

52.  Lawyers  should  have  used  the  Law  as  a  pedagogue 
leading  to  Christ.  But  these  did  not.  They  took  away 
the  key  of  knowledge  and  did  not  use  it  for  its  legitimate 
purpose  of  opening  the  way.  They  entered  not  them- 
selves, and  perversely  hindered  them  that  were  entering. 
How  dreadful  when  those  who  are  in  the  position  of 
teachers  and  guides  either  fail  to  lead  or  mislead.  Well 
had  these  earned  the  woe  here  pronounced. 

53,  54.  And  when  he  was  come  out  from  thence,  the  scribes  and  the 
Pharisees  began  to  press  upon  him  venemently,  and  to  provoke  him  to 
speak  of  many  things  ;  laying  wait  for  him,  to  catch  something  out  of  his 
mouth. 

53,  54.  Thence.     From  the  Pharisee's  house  where   He 


232 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xr.  53,54. 


had  taken  breakfast.     To  press  upon  .  .  .  vehemently. 

They  set  upon  Him  intently,  with  urgent  hostile  pur- 
pose. Laying  wait,  like  hunters  for  prey,  to  catch  .  .  . 
his  mouth.  Here  they  illustrate  the  character  He 
ascribed  to  them  above  (ver.  47,  ff.). 


CHAPTER  XII. 

I.  In  the  mean  time,  when  the  many  thousands  of  the  multitude  were 
gathered  together,  insomuch  that  they  trode  one  upon  another,  he  began 
to  say  unto  his  disciples  first  of  all.  Beware  ye  of  the  leaven  of  the  Phari- 
sees, which  is  hypocrisy. 

I.  In  the  mean  time,  while  Jesus  was  at  breakfast  in 
the  Pharisee's  house,  a  multitude  consisting  of  many 
thousands  had  gathered  together,  and  were  so  intent  on 
getting  near  Him  and  seeing  and  hearing  Him  that  they 
fairly  trode  one  upon  another,  just  as  a  crowd  does  now. 
Jesus  met  this  crowd  when  He  came  out  of  the  house  of 
His  entertainer.  The  words  began  to  say  indicate  a 
prolonged  address  or  addresses,  only  a  report  of  which  is 
given  by  Luke.  And  whilst  He  addressed  his  disciples 
first,  it  was  in  the  hearing  of  the  multitude,  and  for  their 
instruction  too,  and  afterward  (ver.  54)  He  addressed 
them  directly.  Beware  introduces  words  of  warning. 
The  condemnatory  tone  begun  in  the  house  (see  above) 
is  continued.  The  leaven  of  the  Pharisees.  Their  doc- 
trine and  spirit.  This,  or  these,  He  declares  to  be  char- 
acterized b}^  hypocrisy.  Hypocrisy  is  etymologically 
the  acting  of  a  part,  the  putting  on  of  appearances  which 
are  unreal.  This  is  its  inherent  sense.  The  Pharisees 
were  adepts  at  this,  and  their  kind  has  not  run  out  to 
this  day.  Such  people  abound,  unreal,  insincere,  pro- 
fessing without  possessing,  resting  in  externals,  formalists. 
Jesus  warns  His  disciples  against  such  a  character. 


234  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xii.  2-4. 

2,  3.  But  there  is  nothing  covered  up,  that  shall  not  be  revealed  :  and  hid, 
that  shall  not  be  known.  Wherefore  whatsoever  ye  have  said  in  the  dark- 
ness shall  be  heard  in  the  light ;  and  what  ye  have  spoken  in  the  ear  in  the 
inner  chambers  shall  be  proclaimed  upon  the  housetop. 

See  on  viii.  17  and  on  Matt.  x.  26,  27. 

2.  Hypocrisy  shall  not  succeed.  It  will  be  exposed. 
That  which  is  supposed  to  be  covered  up  will,  in  God's 
faithful  providence,  be  revealed,  and  what  is  supposed 
by  hypocritical  spirits  to  be  hid  will  certainly  come  to  be 
known.  Every  sincere,  upright,  honorable  person  re- 
joices at  this.  There  is  no  hiding  from  God,  who  seeth 
in  secret  and  knows  the  hidden  thoughts  and  spirit,  and 
He  will  uncover  hypocrisy,  to  its  shame  and  overthrow. 
Pretence  finds  no  favor  with  God. 

3.  Pre-eminently  is  it  a  feature  of  the  gospel  to  make 
known,  to  proclaim,  to  preach.  Secrecy  does  not  belong 
to  it.  There  is  no  place  in  it  for  a  leaven  of  hypocrisy. 
It  is  itself  a  revelation,  and  is  a  revealer  of  the  thoughts 
and  intents  of  the  heart.  (Comp.  Heb.  iv.  12,  13.)  There 
is  no  room  in  it  for  the  Pharisaic  spirit.  It  is  sincerely 
outspoken  and  makes  its  disciples  so. 

4-8.  And  I  say  unto  you  my  friends,  Be  not  afraid  of  them  which  kill 
the  body,  and  after  that  have  no  mor-e  that  they  can  do.  But  I  will  warn 
you  whom  ye  shall  fear  :  Fear  him,  which  after  he  hath  killed  hath  power 
to  cast  into  hell ;  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  Fear  him.  Are  not  five  sparrows 
sold  for  two  farthings  ?  and  not  one  of  them  is  forgotten  in  the  sight  of  God. 
But  the  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  numbered.  Fear  not :  ye  are  of 
more  value  than  many  sparrows. 

See  on  Matt.  x.  28-31. 

4.  These  words  are  addressed  to  Jesus'  friends.  They 
open  and  close  with  fear  not  but  have  in  their  midst  an 
emphatic  fear.  Jesus'  disciples  are  not  to  fear  those 
whose  power  is  only  over  the  body,  is  external  and  tem- 
poral, e.  g.  the  persecuting  world,  or  even  the  persecuting 
church,  gone  aside  from  the  spirit  and  word  of  her  Lord 


Xii.  4-IO.]  CHAPTER  XII.  235 

and  Head.  See  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  illustrations 
of  this  power  and  of  the  disciples'  obedience  to  this  as- 
suring word  of  Jesus.  Like  instances  are  occurring,  even 
while  this  commentary  is  in  writing,  over  in  Armenia, 
to  say  nothing  of  our  own  midst.  Persecuting  powers  can 
do  no  more  than  hurt  that  which  is  external  and  perishable. 

5.  Power,  or  authority,  to  cast  into  hell  (^^ei^vav),  is  an- 
other thing,  and  He  who  has  it,  God  alone,  is  to  be  feared. 
The  word  of  God  appeals,  in  admirable  proportion,  to  all 
man's  sensibilities,  and  one  of  these  is  fear.  We  are  to 
fear  to  sin. 

6,  7.  At  the  same  time,  remembering  God's  care  of 
every  creature,  exercised  with  infinite  ease  and  reaching, 
in  His  particular  providence,  to  the  veriest  inimitice,  His 
friends,  abiding  in  fellowship  with  Him,  are  urged  to 
fear  not.  "  Perfect  love  casteth  out  fear  "  (i  John  iv. 
18).  "  What  time  I  am  afraid  I  will  trust  in  Thee  "  (Ps. 
Ivi.  3). 

8,  9.  And  I  say  unto  you,  Every  one  who  shall  confess  me  before  men, 
him  shall  the  Son  of  man  also  confess  before  the  angels  of  God ;  but  he 
that  denieth  me  in  the  presence  of  men  shall  be  denied  in  the  presence  of 
the  angels  of  God. 

See  on  Matt.  x.  32,  33,  and  comp.  on  Luke  ix.  26  and 
Mark  viii.  38.     See  also  on  Rom.  x.  10. 

10.  And  every  one  who  shall  speak  a  word  against  the  Son  of  man,  it 
shall  be  forgiven  him :  but  unto  him  that  blasphemeth  against  the  Holy 
Spirit  it  shall  not  be  forgiven. 

See  on  Matt.  xii.  31,  32,  and  on  Mark  iii.  28-30. 

10.  That  this  is  a  sin  ''  unto  death  "  (i  John  v.  16),  never 
to  be  forgiven,  is  not  because  the  Holy  Spirit  is  greater 
than  the  Father  or  the  Son,  but  because  it  is  through  the 
Holy  Spirit,  proceeding  from  the  Father  and  the  Son 
(John  xiv.   26 ;    xvi.  7),  that  the   Holy  Trinity  renews 


236  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xii.  10-12. 

(John  iii.  5,6;  Mark  i.  8)  and  sanctifies  (John  xvii.  17) 
the  heart  of  man,  leading  him  to  and  applying  to  him 
the  salvation  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus  (John  xvi.  13-15). 
The  Holy  Spirit's  work,  we  may  say,  is  God's  last  and 
utmost  effort  to  save  men  ;  and  whoever  calumniates 
and  abuses  the  Holy  Spirit  has  gone  beyond  all  hope 
and  help.  Nothing  is  left  for  him  but  to  go  on  in  his 
"  eternal  sin  "  (Mark  in  loc).  Not  that  God  could  not 
forgive;  but  such  a  man  cannot  be  forgiven  !  He  is  out 
of  the  sphere  of  forgiveness. 

The  question  arises  whether  this  sin  is  an  act  or  a 
state.  Let  it  be  remembered  that  our  acts  proceed  from 
our  state,  "  Either  make  the  tree  good  and  its  fruit 
good;  or  else  make  the  tree  corrupt  and  its  fruit  corrupt ; 
for  the  tree  is  known  by  its  fruit  "  (Matt.  xii.  33-37,  and 
see  connection  preceding)  ;  and  "  out  of  the  abundance 
of  the  heart  the  mouth  speaketh."  The  sin  here  referred 
to  is  evidently  deliberate  and  wilful,  not  a  sin  of  error, 
forgetfulness  or  hasty  passion. 

One  may  "grieve"  (Eph.  iv.  30;  comj^.  i  Thess.  v.  19) 
the  Holy  Spirit  and  yet  be  brought  to  repentance  ;  but 
whoever  has  gone  so  far  as  to  "  blaspheme  "  against  Him, 
has  exceeded  the  limits  of  repentance  and  salvation. 

No  one  who  is  sensitive  about  sin  and  who  honors 
God's  word  need  be  afraid  of  having  committed  this  sin. 
No  one  who  will  listen  to  the  Spirit  and  seeks  His  guid- 
ance is  a  blasphemer  against  the  Holy  Ghost. 

ri,  12.  And  when  they  bring  you  before  the  synagogues,  and  the  rulers 
and  the  authorities,  be  not  anxious  how  or  what  ye  shall  answer,  or  what 
ye  shall  say:  for  the  Holy  Spirit  shall  teach  you  in  that  very  hour  what  ye 
ought  to  say. 

See  on  Matt.  x.  17-20  and  Mark  xiii.  11. 

13.  And  one  out  of  the  multitude  said  unto  him,  Master,  bid  my  brother 
divide  the  inheritance  with  me. 


XII.  13,  I4-]  CHAPTER  XII.  237 

13.  One  of  this  multitude  showed  what  was  uppermost 
in  his  mind,  by  caUing  out  to  Jesus  for  His  interposition  to 
secure  him  his  rights.  .  He  seems  to  have  been  impressed 
with  the  authority  manifest  in  Jesus'  words  and  whole 
bearing,  and  probably  thought  He  had  come,  as  the 
Messiah,  to  set  all  things  right.  He  seems  to  have  been 
dissatisfied,  and,  likely,  with  reason,  at  the  manner  in 
which  his  brother  executed  their  father's  estate,  and, 
respectfully  calling  Jesus  Master — teacher — made  his 
earnest  request.  Bid  my  brother  divide  the  inheritance 
with  me.  Quarrels  over  inheritances,  then,  are  not  a 
new  thing;  they  are,  however,  very  common,  and  often 
separate  chief  friends.  Jesus  had,  as  usual,  been  talking 
to  His  hearers  about  the  things  of  the  kingdom  of  God  ; 
bnt,  as  in  our  churches  and  meetings  for  spiritual  im- 
provement, people's  thoughts  go  wandering  oft  after 
other  things,  so  here  this  man's  earthly  inheritance  was 
his  chief  thought,  and  he  brings  it  out  even  before  the 
Lord.  He  Avas  very  outspoken  and  candid.  It  does 
not  appear  that  our  Lord  was  often  appealed  to  thus  to 
redress  private  wrongs.  Listances  are  not  wanting,  how- 
ever, in  which  His  enemies  tried  to  bring  Him  into  con- 
flict with  the  civil  institutions  of  the  land,  and  thus  in- 
volve Him  in  trouble  with  the  Roman  government.  In 
all  these  He,  with  infinite  wisdom,  kept  on  the  high 
ground  of  spiritual  principles,  laying  down  the  higher 
law,  which  should  govern  man  in  all  things,  and  leaving 
the  particular  application  for  the  hearers  themselves  to 
make.  But  in  this  instance  He  declines  to  have  anything 
to  do  with  the  matter. 

14.     But  he  said  unto  him,  Man,  who  made  me  a  judge  or  a  divider  over 
you  ? 

14.  Man,  who  made  me  a  judge  or  a  divider  over  you 


238  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xii.  14,  15, 

brothers  ?  Jesus  was  not  an  arbiter  of  such  things.  He 
was  not  an  officer  of  the  law,  to  see  that  it  was  in  any 
case  complied  with.  The  question  of  right  is  not  in- 
volved. It  is  taken  for  granted.  Make  him  give  me  the 
money  due  me  !  No  ;  Jesus  had  nothing  to  do  with 
that,  and  never  meddled  with  the  laws  of  the  land.  The 
inheritance  He  came  to  secure  to  man  was  a  heavenly 
inheritance,  to  make  men  joint  heirs  with  Him  of  the 
kingdom  of  the  Father  in  heaven.  In  reference  to  this, 
it  did  not  matter  whether  heirs  were  justly  dealt  with  in 
earthly  settlements  or  not. 

15.  And  he  said  unto  them,  Take  heed,  and  keep  yourselves  from  all 
covetousness  :  for  a  man's  life  consisteth  not  in  the  abundance  of  the  things 
which  he  possesseth. 

15.  Take  heed.  Lookout.  Be  on  the  watch.  See  to 
it.  Keep  yourselves  from.  The  form  of  expression  in- 
dicates a  very  needful  and  earnest  warning.  All  covet= 
ousness.  Covetousness  is  a  greedy,  grasping,  selfish 
desire  to  have  more.  Like  the  horse-leech,  its  continual 
cry  is,  Give,  give  ;  more,  more.  It  is  repeatedly  (Eph. 
V.  5  ;  Col.  iii.  5)  represented  as  idolatry  ;  it  is  classed  with 
grossest  sins  of  the  flesh  (Rom.  i.  29  ;  i  Cor.  v.  10,  11  ; 
vi.  10;  Eph.  iv.  19;  V.  3,  5  ;  2  Pet.  ii.  3,  14).  As  it  is  an 
affection  of  the  heart,  it  may  exist  in  very  poor  people 
as  well  as  among  the  rich,  and  quite  as  likely,  to  say  the 
least.  It  may  manifest  itself  among  the  honest  and  con- 
scientious, as  well  as  among  the  dishonest  and  unscrupu- 
lous ;  it  may  show  itself  in  the  manner  in  which  we  hold 
and  reclaim  our  own,  as  truly  as  in  the  undue  snatching 
for  what  belongs  to  others.  Putting  "  money  "  for  all 
worldly  gain,  it  is  the  love  of  money,  and  this  is  infalli- 
bly (i  Tim.  vi.  10)  pronounced  a  "  root  of  all  evil." 
There  is  scarcely  a  crime  in  the  whole  catalogue  to  which 
covetousness  has  not  given,  and  may  not  naturally  give, 


XII.  15.]  CHAPTER  XII.  239 

rise.  The  daily  records  of  abuse  of  trust,  defalcations, 
murders,  robberies,  frauds,  have  their  origin  chiefly  in  this 
root  of  evil.  Insidious  in  its  nature  as  well  as  overbear- 
ing, deceiving  ofttimes  by  the  appearance  of  thrift, 
prudence,  long-headedness,  sharpness  in  business,  and  not 
necessarily  conflicting  with  honesty  and  strict  justice,  it 
is  a  sin  that  especially  needs  to  be  guarded  against,  that 
calls  for  most  earnest  and  repeated  warnings.  It  is  the 
more  dangerous  as  being  tolerated  by  individuals  and 
churches,  a  respectable  sin,  notwithstanding  the  Bible 
puts  it  in  the  grossest  and  most  disreputable  company. 
(See  references  above.)  We  may  safely  say  that  no  sin 
is  more  reproved  in  Scripture  than  this  one,  and  none 
seems  more  common.  For  a  man's  life  consisteth  not 
in  the  abundance  of  the  things  which  he  possesseth. 
Covetousne.ss  absorbs  a  man.  Such  is  its  tendency.  It 
belittles  a  man  ;  it  trenches  on  the  best  part  of  our 
nature  and  keeps  out  God's  image.  But  should  a  human 
being,  an  immortal  soul,  one  for  whom  Christ  died,  take 
so  low  a  view  of  life  as  to  give  it  over  thus  ?  This  fails 
to  realize  what  life  in  its  full  and  true  sense  is.  Posses- 
sions are  lifeless,  and  cannot  give  what  does  not  belong 
to  them.  Possessors  of  abundance  are,  other  things 
being  equal,  as  liable  to  sorrow,  disease,  accident,  death, 
as  those  who  have  merely  a  supply  of  their  needs.  Pos- 
sessions do  not  give  education,  culture,  refinement,  fit- 
ness for  society  either  here  or  in  heaven.  "  To  the 
question,  What  is  a  man  worth  ?  the  world  replies  by 
enumerating  what  he  has ;  the  Son  of  man,  by  estimat- 
ing what  he  is  "  (Robertson).  In  looking  over  man- 
kind and  seeing  the  almost  everywhere  prevailing  spirit 
of  desire  of  gain,  one  would  think  very  few  believe  what 
our  Lord  here  says;  they  act  so  much  as  if  He  had  said 
just  the  opposite. 


240  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xii.  16-18. 

16,  17.  And  he  spake  a  parable  unto  them,  saying,  The  ground  cf  a 
certain  rich  man  brought  forth  plentifully :  and  he  reasoned  within  him- 
self, saying,  What  shall  I  do,  because  I  have  not  where  to  bestow  my  fruits  ? 

1.6.  He  spake  a  parable,  to  illustrate  and  enforce  His 
warning,  and  to  fix  it  more  abidingly  in  their  memories. 
His  parables  were  taken  from  the  sphere  of  ordinary 
affairs,  and  are  so  true  to  life  as  that  there  is  no  stretch 
in  supposing  that  the  circumstances  composing  them  may 
have  actually  occurred.  The  ground.  The  place — his 
farm.  He  was  a  rich  man,  and  his  farm  was  a  good 
one. 

17  And  he  reasoned  within  himself.  And  this  was 
a  key  to  his  character  ;  for  "  as  a  man  thinketh  in  his 
heart,  so  is  he."  It  is  a  distinguishing  characteristic  of 
man  that  he  is  able  to  reflect.  What  shall  I  do  ?  Note 
his  perplexity,  caused  by  his  abundance.  I  have  not 
where  to  bestow  my  fruits.  If  he  had  reflected  a  little 
further,  he  might  have  thought  of  those  not  blessed  as 
he  was,  who  had  plenty  of  room  for  some  of  the  fruits 
the  great  Provider  had  entrusted  to  him  as  a  steward. 
But,  whilst  the  clouds  above  said,  Give,  and  the  little 
streams  through  his  fields  said,  Give,  and  the  goodness 
of  God  said,  Give,  and  the  needs  of  the  poor  said.  Give, 
he  heard  not,  or,  at  least,  heeded  not  these  voices,  and 
sought  only  for  room  on  his  own  place  for  these  gifts  of 
a  good  Providence.  "  Willing  to  distribute  "  was  no  one 
of  his  characteristics ;  likely  he  never  thought  of  such  a 
thing. 

18,  19.  And  he  said,  This  will  I  do  :  I  will  pull  down  my  barns  and  build 
greater;  and  there  will  I  bestow  all  my  corn  and  my  goods.  And  I  will  say 
to  my  soul.  Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years ;  take  thine 
ease,  eat,  drink,  be  merry. 

18.  The  barns  over  there  were  vaults — underground 
depositories.     To  pull  down,  and   build   greater  accom- 


XII.  18-20.]  CHAPTER  XII.  241 

modations — enlargement — was  the  rich  man's  device  to 
get  out  of  his  dilemma.  There,  in  my  own  granaries,  I 
will  bestow  all  my  corn  and  my  goods.  The  frequency 
with  which  he  says  "  I  "  and  "  my,"  leaving  God  and 
men  alike  out  of  his  count  and  plans,  is  the  thing  to  be 
noted  here.  There  was  no  wrong  in  his  enlarging  his 
farm  facilities. 

19.  And  I  will  say  to  my  soul,  as  the  sequel  to  all  this, 
and  demonstrating  the  spirit  in  which  it  was  all  done. 
The  word  rendered  "  soul "  in  these  verses  is  the  one 
that  represents  not  the  immortal  nature  but  the  animal 
life — the  personal  existence  in  this  world.  Soul,  life,  self, 
thou  hast  (note  the  sense  of  possession — property)  much 
goods,  many  good  things,  laid  up  for  many  years. 
Christ  had  taught  men  to  say,  "  Give  us  this  day  our 
daily  bread,'"  and  to  keep  sensible  of  their  dependence 
on  a  higher  power.  But,  on  the  contrary,  this  man's 
bank  was  his  confidence.  He  needn't  pray  for  his  daily 
bread,  having  enough  on  hand  for  many  years.  Take 
thine  ease.  He  proposes  to  retire,  and  take  life  easy. 
Eat,  drink,  be  merry.  Enjoy  thyself;  have  a  good  time. 
He  took  up  the  motto  of  the  Epicureans.  He  looked 
only  to  the  animal  life  and  its  physical  gratification. 
Sensualism  is  the  key-note  here.  "  Modern  materialism 
can  offer  the  soul  nothing  better  than  this," 

20.  But  God  said  unto  him,  Thou  foolish  one,  this  night  is  thy  soul  re- 
quired of  thee ;  and  the  things  which  thou  hast  prepared,  whose  shall  they 
be.? 

20.  But  God,  overlooked  by  the  rich  man,  had  something 

to  say.     All  are  His  messengers,  and  in  various  ways  He 

might  speak  to  the  man.     Thou  foolish  one.     Ah  !  to  be 

called  so  by  infinite  wisdom — fool  !     Acting  as  though 

without   understanding ;  giving  thy  mind,  thy  sense,  no 
16 


242  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xii.  20-21. 

chance  to  act  or  determine  ;  governed  only  by  the  lower 
nature  ;  regardless  of  the  fitness  of  things.  This  night, 
before  thy  plans  are  well  begun!  Thy  soul  is  required 
of  thee.  "  They  demand  of  thee  thy  life,"  is  a  more 
exact  rendering.  "  They  "  may  be  a  general  designation 
for  God's  messengers,  in  whatever  form  ;  some  propose 
to  refer  it  to  robbers,  who  readily  turn  murderers  to  accom- 
plish their  purposes,  and  suppose  the  rich  man  to  be 
about  to  be  the  victim.  This  night  thy  life  will  be  gone. 
And  the  things  which  thou  hast  prepared,  whose  shall 
they  be  ?  "  Riches  take  to  themselves  wings  and  fly 
away;  "  and,  if  they  do  not  fly  from  us,  we  soon  fly  from 
them.     They  must  be  used  or  left  ! 

21.     So  is  he  that  layeth  up  treasure  for  himself,  and  is  not  rich  toward 
God. 

21.  So.  So  foolish,  so  truly  destitute.  Is  he  .  .  . 
treasure  for  himself, .  .  .  not  rich  toward  God.  "Layeth 
up  treasure,"  treasuring  up,  as  embracing  a  man's  activi- 
ties, is  set  over  against  "  is  not  rich,"  a  being  something, 
a  character,  which,  indeed,  is  not  do-less,  but  is  moved  by 
a  higher  spring  than  self:  "for  himself"  is  contrasted 
with  "  toward  God."  Selfishness  is  opposed  to  godliness. 
A  man  treasures  up  what  is  outside  of  himself;  but  he 
is  rieJi  in  Avhat  he  is. 

We  are  all  stewards  of  God's  gifts  ;  not  owners  by 
natural  or  purchased  right.  We  cannot,  in  the  absolute 
sense,  say,  "  my  "  or  "  mine,"  of  anything.  For  even  of 
ourselves  the  Apostle  says,  "Ye  are  not  3'our  own,  for 
ye  are  bought  with  a  price  ;  therefore  glorify  God." 

"  Many  owners  of  millions  are  paupers,  before  God  " 
(Ryle).  And  so  they  will  appear  before  men  at  the  great 
gathering  of  all  mankind,  at  the  settling  up  of  the  world. 

The  episode  with  the  man  who  wanted  the  Lord  to 


XII.  21-24.]  CHAPTER  XII.  243 

secure  him  his  inheritance  led  directly  to  what  follows, 
in  which  we  find  the  same  teaching  in  almost  the  same 
words  as  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  See  on  Matt, 
vi.  25-34. 

22,  23.  And  he  said  unto  his  disciples,  Therefore  I  say  unto  you,  Be  not 
anxious  ior  your  life,  what  ye  shall  eat :  nor  yet  for  your  body,  what  ye  shall 
put  on.     For  the  life  is  more  than  the  food,  and  the  body  than  the  raiment. 

22.  Therefore,  in  view  of  the  tendency  of  the  natural 
heart  to  set  its  affections  on  worldly  good,  I  say  unto 
you  —  here  comes  again  that  forceful  authoritative 
word  of  the  Great  Teacher — Be  not  anxious  for  your 
life,  here  in  the  sense  of  livelihood,  your  sustenance, 
daily  bread,  nor  yet  for  your  body,  what  ye  shall  put 
on.  Now  in  the  sweat  of  his  face  and  laborious  provi- 
dence man  is  divinely  enjoined  to  seek,  while  he  prays 
for,  his  "daily  bread,"  and  for  his  household  ;  therefore 
that  labor  and  toil  cannot  be  forbidden.  But  that  indi- 
cates only  means,  not  the  end  diud  purpose  of  life. 

23.  For  (and  this  gives  the  reason)  the  life  is  more 
than  meat,  or  than  its  nourisJunent ;  and  the  body  than 
the  raiment  that  is  put  upon  it,  its  clothing.  The  life  of 
a  human  being  is  more  than  the  life  of  a  plant  or  of  a 
mere  animal. 

24.  Consider  the  ravens,  that  they  sow  not,  neither  reap;  which  have 
no  store-chamber  nor  barn ;  and  God  feedeth  them  :  of  how  much  more 
value  are  ye  than  the  birds  ! 

24.  Consider  the  ravens.  In  Matt.  vi.  26  it  is  "  the 
fowls  of  the  air,"  free  as  the  air  in  their  flights  hither  and 
thither,  chirping  and  carolling  cheerfully,  or  soaring 
grandly  in  the  high  ether,  untroubled !  Here  it  is  "the 
ravens,"  with  a  name  kindred  to  our  word  "  ravenous," 
for  they  are  voracious  birds.  The  argument  is  a  fortiori. 
"  We  never  knew  an  earthly  father  take  care  of  \\\s  fozvls 


244  '^^^  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xii.  24-27. 

and  neglect  his  children  ;  and  shall  we  fear  this  from  our 
heavenly  Father?"     (A.Clarke.) 

Pointing  to  the  irrational  animals  the  Great  Teacher 
says :  "  Are  ye  not  much  better  than  they  ?  "  To  which 
the  knoiving  (!)  ones  reply,  "  Not  much  ;  only  a  further 
development ! " 

25,  26.  And  which  of  you  by  being  anxious  can  add  a  cubit  unto  his 
stature  ?  If  then  ye  are  not  able  to  do  even  that  wliich  is  least,  why  are  ye 
anxious  concerning  the  rest  ? 

25,  26.  Which  of  you  by  such  a  process,  by  being 
anxious,  can  add  a  cubit  unto  his  stature?  The  word 
rendered  stature  means  also  age.  A  cubit  is  about 
eighteen  inches.  This  added  to  one's  "  stature  "  could 
hardly  be  called  that  which  is  least;  but  it  would  be 
very  little  to  add  to  one's  time  of  life,  his  life's  journey. 
(See  Ps.  xxxix.  5.)  As  you  cannot  create  life,  so  you 
cannot  add  to  it — at  all  events  by  anxiety  !  Why  then 
fret  and  be  disquieted  ? 

27.  Consider  the  lilies,  how  they  grow :  they  toil  not,  neither  do  they 
spin :  yet  I  say  unto  you,  Even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed 
like  one  of  these. 

27.  Having  gone  to  school  to  the  birds,  concerning 
food,  now  for  raiment  consider  the  lilies  that  cover  the 
fields  and  meadows  all  around.  See  them  :  they  toil  not, 
neither  spin,  to  clothe  themselves  withal.  Yet  they 
grow;  and  look  at  them,  they  are  not  ashamed,  for  naked- 
ness, to  hold  up  their  heads !  The  grandeur  of  Solomon 
and  his  times  is  to  you  Jews  the  ideal  of  all  earthly 
splendor  ;  yet  I  say  unto  you,  Even  Solomon  in  all  his 
glory  was  not  arrayed  like  one — even  a  single  flower — 
of  these.  What  exquisite  delicacy  of  texture,  and  perfect 
beauty  of  form  and  color  !  And  the  more  minutely,  as 
with  a  miscroscope,  you  examine,  the  more  beautiful  will 
it  appear. 


XII.  28-32.]  CHAPTER  XII.  245 

28.  But  if  God  doth  so  clothe  the  grass  in  the  field,  which  to-day  is,  and 
to-morrow  is  cast  into  the  oven  ;  how  much  more  shall  he  clothe  you,  O  ye 
of  little  faith  ? 

28.  Incomparably  beautiful  as  these  lilies  are,  they  are 
yet  counted  as  only  the  grass  in  the  field,  mid  which 
they  grow,  and  with  which  they  are  soon  cut  down  and 
wither.  It  to=day  is,  in  all  its  exquisite  apparel,  and  to= 
morrow  is  cast  into  the  oven,  the  earthen  pot  in  which 
they  baked  their  cakes,  and  which  might  easily  be  heated 
by  burning  therein  dried  grass  and  stubble.  The  argu- 
ment is,  if  God  so  dothe  what  is  so  short  lived,  much 
more  will  He  clothe  with  needed  raiment  the  bodies  of 
immortal  souls  !  Ye  of  little  faith  He  calls  those  who 
can  doubt  this,  who  by  their  continued  troubled  care 
about  such  things  show  they  do  doubt  it. 

29-32.  And  seek  ye  not  what  ye  shall  eat,  and  what  ye  shall  drink,  nei- 
ther be  ye  of  doubtful  mind.  For  all  these  things  do  the  nations  of  the 
world  seek  after:  but  your  Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  these 
things.  Howbeit  seek  ye  his  kingdom,  and  these  things  shall  be  added 
unto  you.  Fear  not,  little  flock  ;  for  it  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to 
give  you  the  kingdom. 

30.  These  things  the  nations  of  the  world,  the  nations 
that  know  not  God,  seek  after,  knowing  neither  the 
source  nor  the  end  of  their  life ;  they  do  it  in  their  blind- 
ness. But  you  know  God  ;  He  has  been  revealed  to  you 
as  your  father,  and  you  are  His  children,  graciously  re- 
ceived into  His  family,  and  He  knoweth  ye  have  need 
of  these  things.  Do  not  be  anxious,  then  as  if  you  were 
orphans  in  the  world,  as  if  your  Father  would  forget  to 
provide  for  you,  or  not  be  able  ! 

31,  32.  Howbeit  seek  ye,  as  your  life's  seeking,  your 
end  and  aim,  his  kingdom,  even  as  already  you  have 
been  taught  to  pray,  "  Thy  kingdom  come,"  before  any 
mention  of  "  our  daily  bread  " — that  kingdom  which  it  is 


246  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xii.  32,  33. 

your  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you.  Jesus  calls  them 
little  flock,  but  comforts  and  encourages  them  with  great 
and  abiding  promises  and  prospects.  The  Good  Shepherd 
bids  them  Fear  not,  but  hope  on  and  ever.  Even  these 
things  of  the  natural  life  shall  be  added  unto  you  who 
are  devoted  to  God.  Live  to  God,  and  He  will  see  that 
you  are  provided  for. 

"  At  one  time  I  was  sorely  vexed  and  tried  by  my  own 
sinfulness,  by  the  wickedness  of  the  world,  and  by  the 
dangers  that  beset  the  Church.  One  morning  I  saw  my 
wife  dressed  in  mourning.  Surprised,  I  asked  her  who 
had  died  !  'Do  you  not  know?'  she  replied;  'God  in 
heaven  is  dead.'  '  How  can  you  talk  such  nonsense, 
Katie?'  I  said;  'how  can  God  die?  Why,  He  is  im- 
mortal, and  will  live  through  all  eternity  !  '  *  Is  that 
really  true?'  she  asked.  *  Of  course!'  I  said,  still  not 
perceiving  what  she  was  aiming  at  ;  *  how  can  you  doubt 
it  ?  As  surely  as  there  is  a  God  in  heaven,  so  sure  is  it 
that  He  can  never  die  ! '  '  And  yet,'  she  said,  '  though 
you  do  not  doubt  that,  yet  you  are  so  hopeless  and  dis- 
couraged ! '  Then  I  observed  what  a  wise  woman  my  wife 
was,  and  mastered  my  sadness  "  (Luther). 

33.  Sell  that  ye  have,  and  give  alms  ;  make  for  yourselves  purses  which 
wax  not  old,  a  treasure  in  the  heavens  that  fadeth  not,  where  no  thief 
draweth  near,  neither  moth  destroyeth. 

33.  Even  sell  that  ye  have.  Lay  it  not  up  with 
anxious  thought  for  the  future.  Here  is  a  good  piece  of 
advice  to  those  who  are  always  buying  and  getting  and 
are  "  land-poor"  and  "  property-poor,"  so  that  they  can- 
not give  to  the  cause  of  God's  kingdom.  Give  alms. 
For  "  there  is  that  scattereth  and  increaseth  yet  more  ; 
and  there  is  that  withholdeth  more  than  is  meet,  but  it 
tendeth  only  to  want." 


XII.  33-35]  CHAPTER  XII.  247 

Purses  which  wax  not  old.  Evidently  this  kind  is  not 
to  be  found  in  earthly  stores.     Make  them  for  yourselves, 

God  says.  They  are  made  by  giving,  by  benevolence,  by 
your  offerings.  These  become  a  treasure  in  the  heavens 
— a  safe  investment  ;  it  faileth  not.     (See  on  xvi.  9.) 

34.     For  where  your  treasure  is,  there  will  your  heart  be  also. 

34.  Our  affections  follow  our  treasures.  There  are 
many  kinds  of  treasures.  Lay  up,  but  in  heaven ;  ''  set 
your  affection  on  things  above."  "  How  hardly  shall 
they  that  trust  in  riches  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven !  " 

35-38.  Let  your  loins  be  girded  about,  and  your  lamps  burning;  and  be 
ye  yourselves  like  unto  men  looking  for  their  lord,  when  he  shall  return 
from  the  marriage  feast ;  that,  when  he  cometh  and  knocketh,  they  may 
straightway  open  unto  him.  Blessed  are  those  servants,  whom  the  lord 
when  he  cometh  shall  find  watching :  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  he  shall 
gird  himself,  and  make  them  sit  down  to  meat,  and  shall  come  and  serve 
them.  And  if  he  shall  come  in  the  second  watch,  and  if  in  the  third,  and 
find  them  so,  blessed  are  those  servants. 

Comp.  Matt.  xxiv.  42-44. 

The  teaching  of  trustful  heavenly-mindedness  is  fittingly 
followed  by  one  on  watchfulness. 

35,  36.  Loins  girded,  as  was  necessary  for  those  wear- 
ing Oriental  long  robes,  both  for  readiness,  work  and 
haste,  and  lamps  burning,  indicative  of  wakeful  waiting 
in  the  night,  are  both  externals,  followed  by  the  ye  your- 
selves  of  internal,  personal  preparation  and  expectancy, 
looking  for  their  lord,  as  becomes  faithful,  devoted  serv- 
ants. "  Patience  makes  longing  mighty,  gives  a  strength, 
and  saves  it  from  being  overstrained ;  longing  makes 
patience  watchful,  and  saves  it  from  growing  torpid. 
Without  this  longing,  patience  would  enervate  the  serv- 
ant ;  without  the  patience,  his  longing  would  fret  and 
corrode  him  "  (Braune). 


248  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xii.  36-40. 

Here  the  lord  is  represented  as  coming  from,  and  in 
other  places  to,  the  marriage  feast.  In  the  application 
marriage  feast  may  stand  for  any  joyous  occasion,  and 
perhaps  does  not  here  need  particular  reference.  Cometh 
and  knocketh.  See  ver.  40.  Is  at  the  door.  Straight= 
way,  as  expectant  of  and  prepared  for  his  coming  :  in  full 
sympathy  with  their  lord. 

37.  Blessed  they  who  shall  be  found  doing  and  having 
done  their  part,  fulfilled  their  mission,  come  up  to  their 
Lord's  expectation  of  them,  found  watching,  awake,  on  the 
qui  vivc,  always  ready  for  their  lord.  They  will  be  treated 
as  if  their  relations  were  reversed.  He — the  lord — shall 
serve  them,  the  servants  !  This  Jesus  did  later  when  He 
washed  the  disciples'  feet  (John  xiii.).  What  honor  and 
glory  are  here  promised  to  those  who  have  proved  faith- 
ful servants ! 

38.  There  is  uncertainty,  purposely,  as  to  the  time  of 
his  coming  ;  he  is  not  likely  to  come  in  the  first  watch, 
for  that  was  the  time  of  the  wedding,  nor  to  put  off  his 
coming  till  the  last  or  morning  watch.  Therefore  neither 
of  these  is  mentioned  in  the  supposition,  but  only  the 
second  watch,  from  nine  o'clock  to  midnight,  and  the 
third,  from  midnight  to  three  o'clock. 

39,  40.  But  know  this,  that  if  the  master  of  the  house  had  known  in 
what  hour  the  thief  was  coming,  he  would  have  watched,  and  not  have  left 
his  house  to  be  broken  through.  Be  ye  also  ready :  for  in  an  hour  that  ye 
think  not  the  Son  of  man  cometh. 

See  on  Matt.  xxiv.  43,  44. 

39.  A  familiar  and  frequent  method  of  illustration  of 
watchfulness,  good  house-keeping. 

40.  And  ye,  servants  of  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 
be  not  behind  faithful  servants  of  earthly  lords,  but  be 
[rather,  become,  yhzaOt^  ready.  For,  thus  uncertain  is  the 
time  of  your  Lord's  coming,  and  only  a  spirit  of  watch- 


XII.  40-45-]  CHAPTER  XII.  249 

fulness,  of  life,  will  prevent  a  great  and  sad  surprise.  The 
Son  of  man  is  the  Lord  of  those  to  whom  He  is  speak- 
ing, and  the  application  of  the  preceding  illustrations  is 
to  them  as  His  servants.  He  cometh,  no  one  knows 
when.  Whilst  this  illustration  and  argument  may  be 
used  with  reference  to  death,  holding  true  there  also,  we 
believe  this  interpretation  to  be  only  an  accommodation 
and  somewhat  objectionable.  The  coming  of  the  Son  of 
man  is  a  glorious  something,  very  different  from  death. 
But  the  teaching  of  the  passage  is  watchful  faithfulness. 

41-46.  And  Peter  said,  Lord,  speakest  thou  this  parable  unto  us,  or  even 
unto  all  ?  And  the  Lord  said,  Who  then  is  the  faithful  and  wise  steward, 
whom  his  lord  shall  set  over  his  household,  to  give  them  their  portion  of 
food  in  due  season  ?  Blessed  is  that  servant,  whom  his  lord  when  he 
Cometh  shall  find  so  doing.  Of  a  truth  I  say  unto  you,  that  he  will  set  him 
over  all  that  he  hath.  But  if  that  servant  shall  say  in  his  heart,  My  lord 
delayeth  his  coming;  and  shall  begin  to  beat  the  menservants  and  the  maid- 
servants, and  to  eat  and  drink,  and  to  be  drunken  ;  the  lord  of  that  servant 
shall  come  in  a  day  when  he  expecteth  not,  and  in  an  hour  when  he  know- 
eth  not,  and  shall  cut  him  asunder,  and  appoint  his  portion  with  the  un- 
faithful. 

See  on  Matt.  xxiv.  45-51. 

41.  Peter  by  his  question  seeks  to  find  the  aim  of  this 
parable  or  similitude,  whether  it  be  us,  the  disciples,  or 
even  all. 

42-44.  The  indirect  answer  applies  the  teaching  to  any 
steward  set  over  his  lord's  household,  and  so  eminently 
to  Peter  and  the  other  apostles.  The  faithful  and  wise 
steward  devoted  to  doing  what  was  appointed  him,  is  the 
blessed  one,  in  their  case  and  in  every  case. 

45.  But  if  that  servant,  instead  of  so  doing,  shall  relax 
his  sense  of  responsibility  and  possibly  quick  account- 
ability, and  shall  begin  an  unworthy,  autocratic,  selfish 
course,  he  will  be  surprised  some  day  by  his  lord's  com- 
ing and  will,  too  late  for  change,  find  his  portion  with 


250  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [x  11.  45-49. 

the  unfaithful.  Matthew  says  "with  the  hypocrites": 
an  unfaithful  man  is  a  hypocrite,  in  that  he  acts  a  part 
which  he  really  is  not ;  he  pretends.  Their  portion  is 
Gehenna  (ver.  5). 

47,  48.  And  that  servant,  which  knew  his  lord's  will,  and  made  not 
ready,  nor  did  according  to  his  will,  shall  be  beaten  with  many  stripes  ;  but 
he  that  knew  not,  and  did  things  worthy  of  stripes,  shall  be  beaten  with  few 
stripes.  And  to  whomsoever  much  is  given,  of  him  shall  much  be  required: 
and  to  whom  they  commit  much,  of  him  will  they  ask  the  more. 

47,  48.  He  that  knew  is  contrasted  with  him  that  knew 
not.  They  are  alike  in  having  done  things  worthy  of 
stripes.  (Comp.  Rom.  ii.  12  ff.)  Of  course  the  one  was 
not  punished  for  guilt  in  matters  he  did  not  know,  but 
for  unworthy  deeds  which  nature  itself  taught  him 
were  unworthy.  Of  course  he  who  knew  and  made  not 
ready  but  neglected  his  lord's  known  will,  as  the  guiltier 
one,  shall  receive  the  heavier  punishment,  many  stripes, 
whilst  the  other,  less  guilty,  shall  receive  comparatively 
few.     (Comp.  Rom.  i.  and  ii.) 

Knowledge,  opportunity,  and  many  other  things  of 
nature  and  circumstance,  go  to  make  up  the  much  given 
from  which,  in  fair  stewardship,  there  is  much  required. 
This  is  the  spiritual  law  of  supply  and  demand.  The 
more,  proportionately.  Expectation  according  to  gifts, 
ability  and  opportunity. 

49,  50.  I  came  to  cast  fire  upon  the  earth  ;  and  what  will  1,  if  it  is  al- 
ready kindled  ?  But  I  have  a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with  ;  and  how  am  I 
straitened  till  it  be  accomplished  ! 

49.  What  is  this  fire  ?  The  Fathers  generally  explain 
it  of  the  Holy  Spirit  (comp.  Matt.  iii.  11):  but  the  ex- 
pression to  cast  upon  the  earth  and  the  connection  do 
not  favor  this.  MEYER  understands  by  it  "  the  vehe- 
ment spiritual  excitement,   forcing  its  way  through  all 


XII.  49-SI-]  CHAPTER  XII.  251 

earthly  relations,  and  loosing  their  closest  ties,  which 
Christ  was  destined  to  kindle."  LUTHER  says,  "  discord 
through  the  Gospel."  Fire  is  the  emphatic  word  in  the 
sentence.  And  what  will  I,  if  it  be  already  kindled  ? 
We  cannot  agree  with  the  many  able  interpreters  who 
make  this  a  wish,  equivalent  to  "  How  I  wish  that  it  were 
already  kindled  !  "  Rather  does  the  Lord  here  indicate 
that  this  fire  has  been  already  kindled,  and  in  a  manner 
soliloquizes  thus,  "  What  more  do  I  desire,  if  it  burns? 
The  aim  of  my  operation  upon  earth  is  so  far  attained  !  " 
So  Neander. 

50.  But  there  is  yet  a  great  completing  event  to  be 
enacted.  A  baptism  to  be  baptized  with  is  His  coming 
passion,  for  which  He  had  set  His  face  steadfastly  toward 
Jerusalem  (ix.  51).  How  am  I  straitened,  in  what  straits, 
how  constrained,  oppressed,  till  it  be  accomplished  ! 
The  fire  which  was  already  kindled  was  to  burn  first 
against  Him  in  its  devouring  opposition.  The  Lord  would 
Himself  lead  the  way  into  and  through  the  fire,  opening 
a  passage  through  which  all  His  followers  might  subse- 
quently pass  safely.  The  evil  of  every  day  was  not 
sufificient  (Matt.  vi.  34)  for  Jesus,  but  He  saw  full  before 
Him  coming  sorrows,  to  endure  which  He  had  come,  and 
so  His  plastic  soul  was  fashioned.  He  bare  our  burdens 
before  He  hung  upon  the  cross. 

51-53.  Think  ye  that  I  am  come  to  give  peace  in  the  earth  ?  I  tell  you, 
Nay ;  but  rather  division  :  for  there  shall  be  from  henceforth  five  in  one 
house  divided,  three  against  two,  and  two  against  three.  They  shall  be 
divided,  father  against  son,  and  son  against  father ;  mother  against  daughter, 
and  daughter  against  her  mother;  mother  in  law  against  her  daughter  in 
law,  and  daughter  in  law  against  her  mother  in  law. 

See  on  Matt.  x.  34-36. 

51-53.  All  this  was  especially  so  when  the  Gospel  was 
first  preached  in  and  to  an  ungodly  world.     It  is  now  par- 


252  THE  GOSPEL  OE  ST.  LUKE.  [xii.  51-56. 

ticularly  observed  in  India  and  other  heathen  countries, 
where  the  household  stripes  here  spoken  of,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  Gospel,  are  common  occurrences.  Family 
opposition  to  the  claims  of  Christ  on  any  of  its  members 
is  one  of  the  greatest  hindrances  missionaries  have  to 
meet.  See  in  Matt.  x.  37-39  the  course  to  be  pursued 
by  disciples  of  Jesus. 

54-56.  And  he  said  to  the  multitudes  also,  When  ye  see  a  cloud  rising 
in  the  west,  straightway  ye  say,  There  cometh  a  shower;  and  so  it  cometh 
to  pass.  And  vi\\e.\\  ye  see  a  south  wind  blowing,  ye  say.  There  will  be  a 
scorching  heat;  and  it  cometh  to  pass.  Ve  hypocrites,  ye  know  how  to  in- 
terpret the  face  of  the  earth  and  the  heaven ;  but  how  is  it  that  ye  know 
not  how  to  interpret  this  time  ? 

See  on  Matt.  xvi.  2,  3. 

54,  55.  In  ver.  i  of  this  chapter  we  read  that  this  dis- 
course began  to  be  addressed  "  to  his  disciples  first  of 
all."  At  ver.  13  Jesus  was  interrupted  by  "  one  out  of 
the  multitude."  At  ver.  22  the  discourse  again  recurred 
"  to  his  disciples."  Now  at  its  close  He  addresses  Him- 
self to  the  multitudes  also,  and  gives  them  the  benefit  of 
the  application  of  the  whole  discourse.  The  weather 
conditions  here  spoken  of  were  such  as  occurred  in  Judaea 
and  thereabout,  where  He  now  was. 

56.  Among  this  multitude,  not  unlikely,  were  Pharisees, 
whose  spirit  was  a  false  one,  whose  leaven  too  much  per- 
meated the  masses,  so  that  the  term  Jesus  specially 
applied  (ver.  i)  to  Pharisees  He  here  uses  of  them  all  and 
says.  Ye  hypocrites.  The  Lord  was  very  outspoken. 
He  did  not  study  to  please.  He  was  free  from  the  fear 
of  man  which  bringeth  a  snare.  And  He  spake  with  an 
authority  that  was  penetrative.  They  were  hypocrites 
because  they  saw  only  what  they  wanted  to  see,  and  clear 
enough  in  their  discernment  of  weather  signs  they  failed 
to  interpret    this    time,  this    occasion    of  the  Messiah's 


XII.  56-58.]  CHAPTER  XII.  253 

manifestation.  (See  i.  68  ;  vii.  16.)  They  might  have 
known  it  if  they  had  wanted  to  ;  but  they  were  not  sin- 
cere. A  common  proverb  says  there  are  none  so  bHnd  as 
those  who  will  not  see  :  such  were  these  people,  and  yet 
they  professed  to  see  (John  ix.  41);  hence  they  were 
suitably  called  hypocrites. 

57.  And  why  even  of  yourselves  judge  ye  not  what  is  right  ? 

57.  "  Can,  then,  the  natural  understanding,  forthe  suf^- 
ciency  of  which  this  text  has  strangely  enough  been  cited, 
test  these  things  and  discern  what  is  right  ?  Assuredly — 
but,  first  of  all,  only  when  a  revelation  of  God  in  its  signs 
lies  obviously  before  it  (for  that  is  the  question  here)  ; 
and,  secondly,  alas  !  it  might  and  it  should,  indeed  ;  but 
it  cannot  and  it  will  not,  for  the  most  part,  because  of 
other  reasons  which  the  Lord  here  bewails,  discloses,  and 
rebukes  ;  it  does  not  draw  the  simple  and  necessary  deduc- 
tion from  the  plainest  and  most  indubitable  premises, 
because  the  sinner  does  not  conscientiously  use  his  reason, 
and  will  not  of  and  in  himself  ]\xdgQ.  that  which  is  right  !  " 
(Stier.) 

58.  For  as  thou  art  going  with  thy  adversary  before  the  magistrate,  on  the 
way  give  diligence  to  be  quit  of  him ,  lest  haply  he  hale  thee  unto  the  judge, 
and  the  judge  shall  deliver  thee  to  the  officer,  and  the  officer  shall  cast  thee 
into  prison.  I  say  unto  thee,  Thou  shalt  by  no  means  come  out  thence, 
till  thou  have  paid  the  very  last  mite. 

See  on  Matt.  v.  25,  26. 

58.  While  still  on  the  way  and  not  yet  before  the 
officers  for  trial  and  judgment  there  is  opportunity  to  be 
quit  of,  released  from,  thine  adversary,  the  one  who  has 
a  case  against  thee,  to  whom  thou  art  a  debtor  ;  you  may 
come  to  an  agreement  with  him  and  so  avoid  court  pro- 
ceedings and  judgment.  And  to  do  so  is  the  part  of  wis- 
dom.    Whilst  there  is  no  occasion  for  giving  any  special 


254  ^■^^"'  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xii.  58,  59. 

interpretation  to  the  various  officers  of  the  law  here  men- 
tioned, since  they  are  but  the  imagery  of  the  illustration, 
it  is  clear  that  man's  relation  to  God  as  a  debtor  is  here 
set  forth,  and  the  wisdom  of  making  terms  with  Him 
while  there  is  opportunity.  In  human  relations  (as  illus- 
trated in  the  interruption  at  ver.  13)  they  were  quick 
enough  to  demand  what  was  right ;  why  not  in  their 
relations  to  God  ?  By  repentance  and  faith  we  come  to 
an  agreement  with  God  ;  and  while  we  are  "  on  the  way," 
in  life,  is  the  time  for  this. 

59.  Otherwise  it  will  be  too  late,  and  eternity  itself  will 
be  too  short  for  sinners  to  pay  in  it  their  dues  to  God. 
And  after  the  judgment  there  will  be  no  recourse  to  the 
unreconciled  sinner. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

1-3.  Now  there  were  some  present  at  that  very  season  which  told  him 
of  the  Galilaeans,  whose  blood  Pilate  had  mingled  with  their  sacrifices. 
And  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Think  ye  that  these  Galilaeans  were 
sinners  above  all  the  Galilaeans,  because  they  have  suffered  these  things? 
I  tell  you.  Nay  :  but,  except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  in  like  manner  perish. 

1.  At  that  very  season,  or  occasion,  marks  close  con- 
nection with  the  address  of  the  previous  chapter.  The 
historical  occasion  referred  to  in  the  story  here  told  is  not 
known.  That  they  now  told  him  seems  to  indicate  that 
it  was  comparatively  late  news,  and  that  the  article  is 
used — of  the  Galileans — indicates  that  the  story  was 
known,  i.  e.  current.  The  expression  blood  .  .  .  mingled 
.  .  .  sacrifices  is  a  vivid  way  of  saying  that  Pilate  had 
come  upon  them  and  slaughtered  them  while  at  their 
religious  rites,  sacrificing,  disregarding  even  the  sanctity 
of  the  temple.  The  disposition  of  the  Galileans  to  re- 
volt against  Roman  domination  is  noted  by  Josephus. 
Though  they  were  really  Herod's  subjects,  Pilate  seems 
to  have  ruthlessly  set  upon  them  in  Jerusalem.  Why 
they  now  told  Jesus  this,  does  not  appear.  Perhaps  the 
story  was  brought  out  by  the  references  to  legal  measures 
and  judgment  in  vers.  58,  59  of  preceding  chapter. 

2,  3.  Whatever  their  thought  or  purpose,  Jesus  turned 
their  story  at  once  to  practical  account.  Think  ye^as  is 
so  common  to  think  that  great,  sudden  and  unusual 
calamity  marks  the  sufferers  of  it  as  unusual  sinners — 
these  Galileans  sinners  above  all  their  countrymen,  and 

255   ' 


256  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xiii.  3-5. 

by  this  calamity  so  made  known  ?  Nay ;  such  is  a 
false  opinion  and  judgment.  I  tell  you,  over  against 
common  notions.  "  The  Lord  utters  this  in  the  fulness 
of  His  divine  knowledge  "  (Bengel).  To  perish  is  the 
destiny  of  all  men  by  nature,  sinful  nature,  to  be  over- 
whelmed by  death  and  so  separated  forever  from  God, 
who  is  life.  But  there  is  a  saving  clause,  and  the  loving 
Saviour  urges  it — except  ye  repent !  They  who  hear  the 
divine  call  and  face  about  from  their  course  that  leads  to 
ruin  and  go  the  other  way,  need  not  and  shall  not  perish. 
The  likewise  of  this  passage  does  not  refer  to  the  manner 
but  to  the  fact  of  perishing. 

4,  5.  Or  those  eighteen,  upon  whom  tlie  tower  in  Siloam  fell,  and  killed 
them,  think  ye  that  they  were  offenders  above  all  the  men  that  dwell  in 
Jerusalem  ?  I  tell  you,  Nay :  but,  except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise 
perish. 

4,  5-  The  case  reported  to  Jesus  was  about  Galileans ; 
now  He  refers  them  to  a  similar  sudden  calamity  that  fell 
upon  men  that  dwell  in  Jerusalem,  so  as  to  broaden  the 
teaching.  Those  well-known  eighteen  who  were  killed 
by  the  fall  of  the  tower  in  Siloam,  a  place  in  Jerusalem, 
did  this  prove  them  offenders,  debtors,  above  all  ?  The 
historical  fact  here  as  before  is  otherwise  unknown  to  us. 
But  the  teaching  is  emphasized.  If  it  is  not  a  cruel  ruler, 
nor  a  sudden  accident,  yet  whatever  it  is  that  cuts  you 
off  from  this  life,  if  you  go  unrepentant,  unreconciled  to 
God,  you  shall  perish  in  the  fullest,  deepest  sense  of 
those  words.  No  wonder  John  and  Jesus  both  came 
preaching  repentance ;  and  so  should  their  successors 
preach. 

6-9.  And  he  spake  this  parable ;  A  certain  man  had  a  fig  tree  planted 
in  his  vineyard ;  and  he  came  seeking  fruit  thereon,  and  found  none.  And 
he  said  unto  the  vinedresser.  Behold,  these  three  years  I  come  seeking  fruit 
on  this  fig  tree,  and  find  none  :  cut  it  down;  why  doth  it  also  cumber  the 


xin.  6-S.]  CHAPTER  XIII.  257 

ground  ?  And  he  answering  saith  unto  him,  Lord,  let  it  alone  this  year 
also,  till  I  shall  dig  about  it,  and  dung  it;  and  if  it  bear  fruit  thenceforth, 
well ;  but  if  not,  thou  shalt  cut  it  down. 

6.  This  parable  seems  intended  to  illustrate  and  con- 
firm what  had  just  been  said  about  man's  responsibility 
to  God  and  the  certainty  of  punishment  if  he  fails  to 
recognize  and  meet  it,  whilst,  therefore,  some  interpret 
the  fig  tree  as  referring  to  the  people  of  Israel,  wc  think 
better  to  give  it  the  most  general  interpretation,  and 
applicable  rather  to  every  person  in  his  vineyard,  that  is, 
the  church.  Seeking  fruit.  The  fi^  tree  is  naturally  very 
fruitful.  It  very  appropriately  represents  any  one  or  all 
of  God's  people.  He  looks  for  fruit  from  them.  In  Is. 
Ixi.  3,  they  are  called  "  trees  of  righteousness,  the  plant- 
ing of  the  Lord,"  and  they  are  to  "  bear  much  fruit  " 
(John  XV.  8),  if  He  is  to  be  glorified  in  them.  See  in 
Mic.  vi.  8  ;  Matt.  xxv.  35,  36  ;  Gal.  v.  22,  23,  some  de- 
scription of  the  kind  of  fruit  God  looks  for. 

7.  Three  years  has  had  many  fanciful  interpretations — 
such  as  the  times  of  the  law,  the  prophets,  and  Jesus  ; 
the  three  politics  of  the  judges,  the  kings,  and  the  high 
priests  ;  the  three  years  since  John  began  to  preach  re- 
pentance, followed  by  Jesus — but  we  think  it  merely  de- 
notes a  period  of  time  abundantly  sufficient  to  prove  the 
tree.  The  disappointing,  deficient  response  thus  often 
fully  justified  the  order,  cut  it  down  ;  why  doth  it  also, 
besides  being  fruitless,  cumber,  make  useless,  the  ground 
on  which  it  stands,  preventing  other  things  from  grow- 
ing. A  fruitless  tree  is  not  merely  a  negative,  but  also  a 
positive  evil.     So  in  the  application  to  mankind. 

8.  9.  The  intercessor  begs  to  have  the  probation  period 
extended  to  this  year  also,  once  more.  "  Now  is  the  ac- 
ceptable time ;  now  is  the  day  of  salvation."  To  dig 
about  and   dung  it  were  the  means  for  natural  growth 

17 


258  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xiit.  9-11. 

and  fruitfulness  ;  the  word  of  God  and  the  sacraments, 
offered  and  used,  are  the  means  (of  grace)  for  spiritual 
growth  and  fruitfuhiess.  "  As  the  Holy  Ghost  saith, 
To-day  if  ye  shall  hear  his  voice,"  etc.  If.  There  is  a 
condition ;  fulfilled,  the  tree  shall  remain  ;  unfulfilled, 
the  decree  again  goes  forth,  cut  it  down.  So  the  Lord 
waits  to  be  gracious ;  but  He  will  not  always  wait. 
Judgment  of  destruction  shall  issue  against  the  unfaithful, 
the  unfruitful,  just  as  surely  as  Pilate  overwhelmed  and 
cut  off  the  Galileans,  and  the  tower  of  Siloam  crushed 
those  eighteen  of  Jerusalem. 

10.  And  he  was  teaching  in  one  of  the  synagogues  on  the  sabbath  day. 

10.  Jesus  frequented  the  synagogues.  There  He 
taught,  as  well  as  joined  in  the  worship.  This  is  a  prin- 
cipal way  of  keeping  the  Sabbath  day  holy.  Hence 
Luther  explains  the  meaning  of  the  third  Commandment 
that  "  We  should  fear  and  love  God  and  not  despise  his 
word  and  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  but  deem  it  holy, 
and  willingly  hear  and  learn  it."  The  word  of  God  is 
the  great  means  of  grace,  and  this  heard  rather  than  read. 
Hence  the  services  of  God's  house  are  the  prime  way  of 
spending  a  good  Sabbath,  of  setting  it  apart  from  the 
other  and  common  days.  Whatever  tends  to  foster  an 
undevout  frame  of  mind,  and  takes  time  and  thought 
from  the  sacred  privileges  and  duties  of  the  day,  is  to  be 
avoided  as  a  profanation. 

Where  the  synagogue  was  where  Jesus  worshipped 
that  day  we  do  not  know. 

11.  And  behold,  a  woman  which  had  a  spirit  of  infirmity  eighteen  years 
and  she  was  bowed  together,  and  could  in  no  wise  lift  herself  up. 

11.  And  behold  a  sight  calculated  to  stir  kindly  human 
sympathy :  a   woman    bowed  together   instead  of  erect, 


XIII.  II-I3-]  CHAPTER  XIII.  259 

not  able  at  all  to  lift  herself  up.  That  distinguishing 
characteristic  of  mankind,  that  he  is  erect  and  can  look 
backward  and  forward  and  up  to  the  stars  and  heaven  of 
God,  this  poor  woman  lacked.  She  had  a  spirit  of  in- 
firmity, which  is  an  expression  rather  hard  to  understand. 
Some,  coupling  it  with  what  is  said  in  ver.  16,  refer  her 
affliction  to  a  mild  form  of  Satanic  possession.  Along 
with  Stier,  we  scarcely  can  think  this.  But  her  body 
and  spirit,  in  their  close  relation,  were  afflicted  with  this 
infirmity.  Perhaps  she  did  not,  in  her  constrained  posi- 
tion, see  Jesus.  *But  she  came  to  the  synagogue,  and 
sets  an  example  to  people  now  not  to  be  kept  from  church 
even  by  severe  bodily  afHiction.  For  eighteen  years  she 
had  been  thus  afflicted.  Ah,  poor  woman,  how  much 
thou  hadst  to  bear !  Yet  thou  didst  seek  God's  house 
and  didst  find  healing  there  ! 

t2,  13.  And  when  Jesus  saw  her,  he  called  her,  and  said  to  her,  Woman, 
thou  art  loosed  from  thine  infirmity.  And  he  laid  his  hands  upon  her:  and 
immediately  she  was  made  straight,  and  glorified  God. 

12.  Be  sure  Jesus  saw  her,  and  did  not  turn  away, 
selfishly,  from  so  sad  a  sight.  No;  he  called  her,  and 
what  wonderful  words  He  spake  to  her  !  Woman,  thou 
art  loosed  from  thine  infirmity.  His  word  was  enough, 
for  it  is  law ;  but,  to  help  her  faith  and  impress  His  word, 
he  laid  his  hands  upon  her. 

13.  All  were  looking  on  in  wonderful  amazement. 
And  immediately  she  was  made  straight  as  any  of  them. 
Her  chronic  infirmity  was  gone.  And  she  did  first  that 
which  was  most  befitting  :  she  glorified  God,  from  whom 
all  blessings  flow.  It  is  not  said  that  she  said  anything 
to  Jesus.  The  situation  very  soon  changed  from  her 
praise  to  the  ruler's  loud  and  angry  remonstrance  to  the 
people. 


26o  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xiii.  14,  15. 

14.  And  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  being  moved  with  indignation  be- 
cause Jesus  had  healed  on  the  sabbath,  answered  and  said  to  the  multitude, 
There  are  six  days  in  which  men  ought  to  work  :  in  them  therefore  come 
and  be  healed,  and  not  on  the  day  of  the  sabbath. 

14.  What  shall  we  think  of  such  a  ruler  of  the  syna= 

gogue  !  Ah,  in  church  and  in  state  the  wrong  men  often 
get  into  office.  This  man,  who,  if  of  a  heavenly  spirit,  if 
in  harmony  with  the  rest  and  peace  of  God,  if  a  lover  of 
his  fellow,  would  have  been  moved  with  great  joy  at  the 
woman's  deliverance,  this  miracle  of  mercy,  was  moved 
with  indignation  only,  indignation  at  Jesus  because  He 
had  healed  on  the  sabbath  !  He  cared  (or  pretended  to) 
more  for  the  sabbath  than  for  mankind.  He  preferred 
sacrifice  to  mercy.  His  spirit  was  the  opposite  of  the 
divine  spirit — yet  he  was  a  ruler  of  the  synagogue.  He 
hadn't  the  courage  to  address  Jesus  directly,  but  put 
forth  his  opinion  to  the  multitude,  and,  in  his  words  to 
them,  showed  he  had  lost  his  head.  He  spoke  like  an 
angry  man,  as  he  was  ;  and  his  words  do  not  show  very 
much  sense  or  consistency.  Work !  Who  had  been 
doing  any  work  ?  Come  and  be  healed.  What  does  this 
mean  from  the  ruler's  mouth?  He  couldn't  heal  any! 
Come  where  ?  Be  healed  by  whom  ?  The  ruler  talks 
wildly. 

15,  16.  P)Ut  tlie  Lord  answered  him,  and  said,  Ye  hypocrites,  doth  not 
each  one  of  you  on  the  sabbath  loose  his  ox  or  his  ass  from  the  stall,  and 
lead  him  away  to  watering  ?  And  ought  not  this  woman,  being  a  daughter 
of  Abraham,  whom  Satan  had  bound,  lo,  these  eighteen  years,  to  have  been 
loosed  from  this  bond  on  the  day  of  the  sabbath  ? 

1 5.  But  the  Lord  (Luke's  frequent  designation  of  Jesus), 
though  not  directly  addressed,  ansvk^ered  him.  He  took 
up  the  people's  cause.  He  rebuked  the  proud,  the  false, 
the  erring  teachers.  He  saw  in  him  a  sample  of  his  class, 
and    addressed    them  all    through  him.     Ye    hypocrites, 


XIII.  IS-I7-J  CHAPTER  XIII.  261 

teaching  one  thing  and  practising  another,  ye  actors  of  a 
part,  ye  insincere  !  Each  one  of  you,  is  it  not  the  common 
practice  ?  will  loose  his  ox  or  his  ass  and  lead  him  away 
to  watering,  a  comparatively  long  and  troublesome  pro- 
cess, all  on  the  sabbath  and  without  any  compunction  of 
conscience.  And  this  is  all  right.  But  how  about  this 
woman,  a  human  being,  yea,  more,  a  daughter  of  Abra= 
ham,  both  by  natural  descent  and  by  her  faith  which 
brought  her,  crippled  as  she  was,  to  God's  house  ?  Satan, 
the  enemy  of  God  and  man,  the  head  and  front  of  all 
evil,  the  Prince  of  darkness,  had  bound  her,  think  of  it, 
these  eighteen  years  ! 

16.  And  ought  not  .  .  .  loosed  ...  on  the  day  of  the 
sabbath  ?  For  shame,  ye  that  care  for  your  cattle  more 
than  for  your  kind  !  You  may  take  care  for  oxen,  and 
look  out  for  your  flocks  and  herds,  your  wealth  ;  Christ 
will  care  for  mankind  in  Satan's  bondage  held  and  loose 
them  from  his  galling  chains.  It  is  lawful  to  do  well  on 
the  sabbath  day :  and  to  refrain  from  doing  well  is  to 
do  ill ! 

17.  And  as  he  said  these  things,  all  his  adversaries  were  put  to  shanrie  : 
and  all  the  multitude  rejoiced  for  all  the  glorious  things  that  were  done  by 
him. 

17.  Well  might  his  adversaries  be   put  to  shame  by 

such  an  exhibition  of  their  heartlessness  and  of  His  love. 
The  multitude,  as  usual,  rejoiced,  and  counted  the  things 

done  by  him  to  be  glorious.  So,  indeed,  they  were.  As 
"  everything  in  his  temple  [of  nature]  saith.  Glory  "  (Ps. 
xxix.  9),  so  everything  that  Jesus  ever  said  or  did  set 
forth  in  beauty  the  glory  of  God. 

18-21.  He  said  therefore,  Unto  what  is  the  kingdom  of  God  like?  and 
whereunto  shall  I  liken  it .?  It  is  like  unto  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  which 
a  man  took,  and  cast  into  his  own  garden  ;  and  it  grew,  and  became  a  tree  ; 
and  the  birds  of  the  heaven  lodged  in  the  branches  thereof.     And  again  he 


262  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xiii.  18-23. 

said,  Whereunto  shall  I  liken  the  kingdom  of  God  ?  It  is  like  unto  leaven, 
which  a  woman  took  and  hid  in  three  measures  of  meal,  till  it  was  all 
leavened. 

See  on  Matt.  xiii.  31-33;  Mark  iv.  31,  32. 

Whilst  Stier  can  find  no  connection  of  these  parables 
with  what  precedes,  Meyer  shows  connection  thus : 
"  After  the  conclusion  of  the  preceding  incident  (ver.  17), 
Jesus,  in  consequence  (ouv)  of  the  joy  manifested  by  the 
people,  sees  Himself  justified  in  conceiving  the  fairest 
hopes  on  behalf  of  the  Messianic  kingdom,  and  these  He 
gives  utterance  to  in  these  parables."  Their  exposition 
may  be  found  in  the  references  above. 

22.  And  he  went  on  his  way  through  cities  and  villages,  teaching,  and 
journeying  on  unto  Jerusalem. 

22.  "The  mention  of  the  journey  holds  the  historical 
thread"  (Meyer).  (See  ix.  51,  57;  x.  38.)  Between 
Jesus'  final  leaving  of  Galilee  and  His  final  going  to 
Jerusalem,  He  visited  Jerusalem  twice,  viz.  :  at  the  Feast 
of  Tabernacles  (John  viii.  11-52)  in  the  fall  (October), 
and  at  the  Feast  of  Dedication  in  the  winter  (December). 
Meanwhile  He  went  about  teaching  the  things  of  the 
kingdom  of  God.  We  cannot  trace  certainly  all  His 
steps  in  this  time.  The  cities  and  villages  here  men- 
tioned were  in  Judaea  and  Persea. 

23.  And  one  said  unto  him.  Lord,  are  they  few  that  be  saved  .'' 

23.  Somewhere  in  this  journey,  one,  of  whom  we  know 
nothing  further,  but  who  seems  to  have  been  a  Jew,  put 
the  question.  Are  there  few  that  be  saved?  Are  the 
saved  few  in  number?  Why  such  a  question?  The 
Jews  thought,  of  course,  they  would  be  saved.  Perhaps 
Jewish  pride  dictated  it.  Perhaps  curiosity  dictated  it. 
At  all  events  it  was  an  idle  question,  in  the  sense  of 
useless,  unimportant.     Instead  of  questioning  thus,  this 


XIII.  23-25.]  CHAPTER  XIII.  263 

man's  duty  was  to  see  to  it  that  he  was  one  of  the  saved 
first,  and  then  to  .seek  to  save  as  many  others  as  possible. 
Jesus  did  not  directly  reply  to  this  man,  yet  gave  a  serious 
answer  for  him  and  all  to  consider.  He  said  unto  them 
all,  using  the  plural  number  in  the  following  verses,  and 
directing  them  all  to  a  personal  and  practical  considera- 
tion of  salvation. 

24,  25.  And  he  said  unto  them,  Strive  to  enter  in  by  the  narrow  door  : 
for  many,  I  say  unto  you,  shall  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able. 

24.  Strive.  The  word  indicates  that  earnestness  of 
purpose  and  action  that  characterized  a  contest  for  the 
prize  in  the  public  games.  To  enter  in  by  the  narrow 
door.  (See  on  Matt.  vii.  13,  14.)  To  get  to  heaven,  to 
be  saved.  Chri.stian  character  involves  a  constant  struggle 
against  opposing  influences,  and  entrance  to  heaven  is  a 
triumph  over  all  the  powers  of  evil  in  earth  and  hell,  in 
human  nature  and  surrounding  it.  Hence  we  need  to 
strive.  "  Eternal  life  is  the  gift  of  God,"  indeed  ;  but 
we  must  strive  to  keep  our  spiritual  foes  from  preventing 
us  from  taking  this  gift  in  the  way  in  which  it  is  offered. 
riany,  alas  (and  He  says  it  who  is  the  way  and  will  at 
last  be  the  judge),  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be 
able.  Whether  the  saved  be  few  or  not,  here  we  are 
assured  that  many  will  be  lost.    (See  on  Matt.  vii.  21-23.) 

26,  27.  When  once  the  master  of  the  house  is  risen  up,  and  hath  shut 
to  the  door,  and  ye  begin  to  stand  without,  and  to  knock  at  the  door,  say- 
ing. Lord,  open  to  us ;  and  he  shall  answer  and  say  to  you,  I  know  you 
not  whence  ye  are  ;  then  shall  ye  begin  to  say,  We  did  eat  and  drink  in  thy 
presence,  and  thou  didst  teach  in  our  streets ;  and  he  shall  say,  I  tell  you, 
I  know  not  whence  ye  are  ;  depart  from  me,  all  ye  workers  of  iniquity. 

25.  When  once.  Better  rendered,  From  the  time  that. 
To  this  the  "  then  "  of  next  verse  refers.  The  master  of 
the  house  has  the  decision  of  such  matters.     Some  think 


264  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xiii.  25-27. 

the  illustration  here  is  taken  from  a  wedding,  or  a  feast 
of  some  kind  ;  others  that  it  is  from  a  family  whose  head 
has  waited  as  long  as  possible  for  the  return  of  its  mem- 
bers. Is  risen  up  and  hath  shut  to  the  door.  This 
marks  a  crisis.  The  door  is  shut  authoritatively.  And 
ye  begin  to  stand  without  and  to  knock.  "  Ye  "  is  very 
personal,  and,  indeed,  Jesus*  Jewish  hearers  well  repre- 
sented this  class,  resting  as  they  did  on  their  ancient 
heritage  as  God's  people,  and  so  not  striving,  but  taking 
salvation  for  granted.  They  stand,  knock,  call  and 
argue,  but  all  in  vain.  The  answer  comes  from  within, 
I  know  not  whence  ye  are.  That  is,  yc  arc  strangers  to 
inc.  He  knows  their  character,  as  is  clear  from  ver,  27. 
But  He  knows  them  not  in  the  sense  of  acknowledging 
them  as  entitled  to  enter  there. 

26.  Begin  to  say.  The  following  gives  only  a  speci- 
men of  their  plea.  We  did  eat  and  drink  in  thy  presence. 
So  might  they  say  who  had  been  at  the  miracles  of  the 
feeding  of  the  multitudes,  as  also  those  who  had  sat  with 
Jesus  at  tables  where  He  was  a  guest.  And  thou  didst 
teach  in  our  streets.  This  again  marks  those  very 
hearers,  together  with  all  His  rejectors  in  the  lands  His 
steps  traversed  on  earth,  as  the  particular  ones  to  whom 
He  referred.  At  the  same  time  they  represent  all  who 
trust  to  some  external  connection  or  acquaintance  with 
the  Lord. 

27.  Workers  of  iniquity.  What  if  He  had  taught  in 
their  streets,  since  they  were  only  hearers  of  the  word 
and  not  doers  thereof !  Their  guilt  was  thereby  only 
aggravated,  and  they  testify  against  themselves  that  they 
had  highest  privileges  which  they  failed  to  improve. 
"  Actions  speak  louder  than  words." 

28-30.  There  shall  be  the  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  when  ye  shall 
see  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets,  in  the  kingdom  of 


XIII.  28,  29-]  CHAPTER  XIII.  265 

God,  and  yourselves  cast  forth  without.  And  they  shall  come  from  the 
east  and  west,  and  from  the  north  and  south,  and  shall  sit  down  in  the  king- 
dom of  God.  And  behold,  there  are  last  which  shall  be  first,  and  there  are 
first  which  shall  be  last. 

28.  There.  In  that  place.  Shall  be.  Future  state. 
Weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth.  In  the  original  these 
nouns  have  the  article,  the  weeping  and  the  gnashing  of 
teeth.  There  are  similar  evidences  of  despair  and  rage 
here,  sometimes  ;  but  nothing  equal  to  what  will  be  there. 
When  ye  shall  see.  The  parable  of  the  rich  man  and 
Lazarus  justifies  us  in  interpreting  this  of  literal,  real 
sight.  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  the  patriarchs, 
from  whom  those  addressed  boasted  their  descent,  and 
all  the  prophets,  whose  books  they  had  and  whose  teach- 
ings they  and  their  fathers  had  neglected,  in  the  kingdom 
of  God,  in  heaven,  saved,  and  yourselves,  the  very  ones 
who  thought  yourselves  "  the  children  of  the  kingdom," 
cast  forth  without.  Abraham  saw  Christ's  day  (John 
viii.  56)  better  than  his  descendants  among  whom  Jesus 
walked  and  talked  ;  for  he  saw  it  by  faith,  whilst  theirs 
was  only  the  seeing  of  the  eye.  "  Old  Testament  saints 
are  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  .  .  .  Neiu  Testament  sinners 
will  be  thrust  out"  (Henry). 

29.  And  they  shall  come.  Yes,  many  of  them,  as  we 
read  in  Matt.  viii.  11,  and  this  "many  "  is  a  set-off  to  the 
one  in  ver.  24.  Here  too  is  an  answer,  a  gladsome  one, 
to  the  question  which  started  this  train  of  thought. 
From  all  quarters  of  the  globe — East — West — North — 
South — people  shall  come  and  shall  sit  down  in  the 
kingdom  of  God ;  first  on  earth,  and  at  last  in  heaven  ; 
first  in  the  church  militant,  and  then  in  tlie  church  tri- 
umphant. Here  is  a  glorious  assurance  of  redemption 
reaching  to  all  quarters  :  and  the  prophecies  (e.  g.  Is. 
xlix.)  of  the  coming  in  of  the  Gentiles  are  here  confirmed 


266  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xiii.  29-31. 

by  the  Lord's  own  lips.  Blessed  are  our  eyes  to  have 
seen  already  in  our  day  so  many  thus  reclaimed  from  sin 
and  Satan's  power.  The  good  word  from  the  missionaries 
in  all  quarters  now  is  that  they  are  thus  coming  in ;  and 
we  should  more  than  ever  give  and  pray  and  work  to 
bring  about  so  glorious  a  consummation. 

30.  This  proverbial  expression  occurs  several  times 
in  the  Scriptures     (Matt.  xix.  30;  xx,  16;  Mark  x.  31). 

The  Jews  were  first  in  God's  choice  of  them  as  a  peo- 
ple, but  have  not  yet  accepted  the  great  salvation.  Only 
when  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  is  brought  in  will  they 
turn  to  the  Lord.  The  East  was  first,  but  now  is 
receiving  missionaries  from  the  West.  The  principle  is 
applicable  to  individuals,  churches  and  nations,  and  ex- 
emplified throughout  history. 

3T-33.  In  that  very  hour  there  came  certain  Pharisees,  saying  to  him, 
Get  thee  out,  and  go.hence  :  for  Herod  would  fain  kill  thee.  And  he  said 
unto  them,  Go  and  say  to  that  fox,  Behold,  I  cast  out  devils  and  perform 
cures  to-day  and  to-morrow,  and  the  third  day  I  am  perfected.  Howbeit 
I  must  go  on  my  way  to-day  and  to-morrow  and  the  day  following :  for  it 
cannot  be  that  a  prophet  perish  out  of  Jerusalem. 

31.  The  word  hour  {8ipa)  may  mean  the  limited  time  we 
assign  to  the  word,  or,  more  inclusively,  the  season  or 
time  marked  out  by  the  circumstances  of  the  narrative. 
The  Pharisees  were  hostile  to  Jesus  and  certainly  did 
not  want  to  bring  Him  a  friendly  message  of  warning  ; 
rather  was  this  word  of  theirs  an  unkindly  banter.  Stier 
thinks,  and  well  maintains  his  view,  that  they  either  in- 
vented the  whole  story  or  took  up  "  some  groundless 
report  and  brought  it  to  the  Lord — in  order  that  they 
might  put  an  end  to  His  too  long  wandering  about  and 
evasion,  and  thus  hypocritically  hasten  Him  to  Jerusalem 
with  the  design,  further,  of  testing  whether  He  would  be 
accessible  to  fear."     So  also  Braune,  Ebrard,  Olshau- 


xni. 31-33-]  CHAPTER  XIII.  267 

SEN,  er  al.  Go  hence  ;  for  Herod  would  fain,  intends  to,  kill 
thee  !  Peraea,  where  we  suppose  Jesus  now  was,  as  well  as 
Galilee,  belonged  to  Herod's  domain.  We  have  notes  of 
Herod's  desiring  to  see  Jesus  (ix.  9,  xxiii.  8),  but  nothing 
of  any  desire  on  his  part  to  kill  Him,  though  he  was  none 
too  good  for  this. 

32,  Perceiving  their  designing,  cunning  scheme,  Jesus 
answered  them  accordingly.  Go  tell — but,  as  they  had  not 
come  from  Herod,  so  He  had  no  idea  they  would  go  to 
him— that  (it  should  read  tJiis^  raozr^  fox,  this  fox  of  yours, 
as  you  make  him  out  by  your  report,  this  cunning  one  of 
your  designing  story,  made  to  frighten  and  hasten  me.  So 
that  what  He  tells  them  to  carry  to  Herod  is  intended  as 
an  answer  to  themselves.  Behold.  Make  a  note  of  it. 
I  cast  out,  or,  am  casting  out,  devils  and  perform,  or,  am 
performing  (the  present  tense  of  action  going  on  con- 
tinuously), cures  (it  was  His  wonderful  works  not  His 
teachings  that  had  excited  Herod's  curiosity)  right  along, 
to=day  and  to-morrow,  that  is,  as  we  take  it,  indefinitely 
for  some  time  to  come,  yet  not  long  ;  and  the  third  day, 
the  climactic  day  in  my  going,  finally  and  not  till  then, 
I  am  perfected,  finish  my  course,  complete  my  work. 
Meyer  makes  this  mean  merely,  "  I  come  to  a  conclusion, 
I  have  done  :  "  but  most  interpreters  refer  it  to  His  death, 
even  as  the  following  verses  indicate  :  but  this  idea  is 
purposely  veiled  from  those  to  whom  He  spake. 

33.  Imustgoonmy  way,  proceed,  continue  my  journey. 
To=day  and  to-morrow  and  the  day  following  must  mean 
the  same  thing  as  the  like  words  in  ver.  32,  and  we  have 
taken  them  in  an  indefinite,  proverbial  rather  than  in  a 
definite,  literal  sense.  Jesus  certainly  was  not  now 
within  three  literal  days  of  His  taking  off  at  Jerusalem. 
For  it  cannot  be,  He  says  with  the  same  incisive  irony  as 
this  whole  reply  indicates,  that  a  prophet  perish  out  of 


268  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xni.  33-35. 

Jerusalem.  That  city,  called  and  meant  to  be  "  the  holy 
city,"  had,  through  the  hierarchy  represented  by  these 
Pharisees,  won  the  evil  distinction  of  being  the  slaughter 
house  of  the  prophets.  See  xi.  49-51  and  on  Matt, 
xxiii.  34-39.  Thither  Jesus  had  for  sometime  stedfastly 
set  His  face,  knowing  perfectly  what  awaited  Him  there. 
Not  Herod  but  the  Jews  of  Jerusalem  would  kill  Him. 

34,  35.  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  which  killeth  the  prophets,  and  stoneth 
them  that  are  sent  unto  her  !  how  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children 
together,  even  as  a  hen  gathereth  her  own  brood  unto  her  wings,  and  ye 
would  not !  Behold,  your  house  is  left  unto  you  desolate :  and  I  say  unto 
you,  Ye  shall  not  see  me,  until  ye  shall  say.  Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord. 

34,  35.  Then  from  irony  the  Lord  melts  into  sad  pity^ 
and  makes  this  apostrophe  to  Jerusalem.  It  is  nearly  the 
same  as  what  He  uttered  later,  as  recorded  in  Matt,  xxiii. 
37-39,  where  see  detailed  comments.  Jerusalem  was  a 
representative  city,  and  as  such  it  is  here  lamented  over 
though  at  a  distance  from  its  locality.  The  Pharisees  to 
whom  He  had  just  replied  were  Jerusalemites.  The 
"  henceforth  "  and  "  desolate  "  of  Matthew  are  not  found 
here.  Those  additions  suited  best  our  Lord's  last  visit  to 
the  city  and  His  final  departure  from  the  temple. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

I.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  went  into  the  house  of  one  of  the  rulers 
of  the  Pharisees  on  a  sal^bath  to  eat  bread,  that  they  were  watching  him. 

I .  One  of  the  rulers  of  the  Pharisees.  As  the  Pharisees 
did  not  have  any  officials  called  rulers,  this  must  mean  a 
ruler  who  belonged  to  the  party  of  the  Pharisees.  GrO- 
TIUS  and  KuiNOEL  take  him  to  have  been  a  member  of 
the  Sanhedrin,  and  De  Wette,  a  president  of  the  syna- 
gogue ;  whilst  Meyer,  as  also  the  Auth.  Ver.,  makes  him 
nothing  more  than  one  of  the  chiefs  of  the  Pharisees. 
Jesus  went  not  without  having  been  invited  (ver.  12), 
though  it  is  more  than  doubtful  whether  the  invitation 
was  given  from  friendliness.  On  a  sabbath.  The  Jews 
were  accustomed  to  make  visits  and  give  entertainments 
on  the  Sabbath,  for  which,  however,  the  preparations  had 
all  been  made  beforehand.  To  eat  bread.  "  It  belongs 
to  the  peculiarities  of  Luke,  that  he  loves  to  represent  to 
us  the  Saviour  as  sitting  at  a  social  table,  where  He  most 
beautifully  reveals  His  pure  humanity"  (Van  Oost.). 
And  they,  the  Pharisees,  true  to  their  spirit  of  opposition 
to  Jesus,  were  watching  him,  to  see  if  He  would  not  say 
or  do  something  or  somehow  come  short,  to  His  discredit, 
on  which  they  were  ready  eagerly  to  seize. 

2-4.  And  behold,  there  was  before  him  a  certain  man  which  had  the 
dropsy.  And  Jesus  answering  spake  unto  the  lawyers  and  Pharisees,  say- 
ing. Is  it  lawful  to  heal  on  the  sabbath,  or  not  ?  But  they  held  their  peace. 
And  he  took  him,  and  healed  him,  and  let  him  go. 

269 


270  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xiv.  2-5. 

2.  And  behold,  probably  in  the  court  of  the  house,  just 
by  the  entrance,  confronting  Jesus  as  He  went  in,  a  man 
with  the  dropsy.  Some  think,  and  not  unreasonably,  that 
this  man's  presence  there  had  been  contrived  by  the 
Pharisees — that  there  was  a  plot  against  Jesus,  yet  all 
unknown  to  the  sick  man. 

3.  This  view  suits  the  word  answering  here  ;  for  Jesus 
knew  their  thoughts  and  that  they  were  watching  Him. 
Meyer  makes  this  a  response  merely  to  the  appeal  which 
the  invalid's  presence  made  to  Jesus.  The  lawyers  and 
Pharisees  were  the  guests.  The  question  Jesus  put  to 
them  was  a  puzzler.  By  their  traditions  they  could  not 
say,  Yes;  and  by  common  humanity  they  could  not  say, 
No.  So  they  prudently  held  their  peace,  insincere  men 
(hypocrites)  that  they  were  ! 

4.  Jesus'  act  now  answered  His  question,  and  showed 
Him  to  have  no  sympathy  with  their  false  externalism 
as  to  the  keeping  of  the  Sabbath.  He  took  him.  Took 
hold  of  him.  Healed  him  by  His  word,  supernaturally. 
Let  him  go  again,  a  well  man.  This  was,  we  may  say,  a 
proceeding  short,  sharp,  and  decisive. 

5.  6.  And  he  said  unto  them,  Which  of  you  shall  have  an  ass  or  an  ox 
fallen  into  a  well,  and  will  not  straightway  draw  him  up  on  a  sabbath  day  ? 
And  they  could  not  answer  again  unto  these  things. 

5.  Not  till  the  cured  man  had  gone  did  He  thus  pun- 
gently  apply  the  subject  to  His  host  and  fellow-guests. 

See  xiii.  15  and  notes  there,  and  on  Matt.  xii.  11,  12. 

There  is  a  reading  of  considerable  authority  which  has 
son  instead  of  ass.  The  two  Greek  words  t»?o9,  son,  and 
ovo<;^  ass,  look  a  little  alike.  MEYER,  adopting  the  former, 
explains  "  from  the  ethical  principle  that  the  helpful 
compassion  which  we  show  in  reference  to  that  which  is 
our  own  (be  it  son  or  beast)  on  the  sabbath,  we  are  also 


XIV.  6-9.]  CHAPTER  XIV.  271 

bound    to    show    to    others  (love    thy    neighbor    as   thy- 
se/f)r 

6.  Much  as  the  Pharisees  would  have  liked  to  gainsay 
the  Lord's  teachings  and  act,  they  could  not.  Jesus  was 
too  niuch  for  them  :  for  He  was  the  Truth,  and  they  were 
hypocrites  ! 

7-1 1.  And  he  spake  a  parable  unto  those  which  were  bidden,  when  he 
marked  how  they  chose  out  the  chief  seats  ;  saying  unto  them,  When  thou 
art  bidden  of  any  man  to  a  marriage  feast,  sit  not  down  in  the  chief  seat ; 
lest  haply  a  more  honourable  man  than  thou  be  bidden  of  him,  and  he  that 
bade  thee  and  him  shall  come  and  say  to  thee,  Give  this  man  place  ;  and 
then  thou  shalt  begin  with  shame  to  take  the  lowest  place.  But  when  thou 
art  bidden,  go  and  sit  down  in  the  lowest  place;  that  when  he  that  hath 
bidden  thee  cometh,  he  may  say  to  thee.  Friend,  go  up  higher :  then  shalt 
thou  have  glory  in  the  presence  of  all  that  sit  at  meat  with  thee.  For  every 
one  that  exalteth  himself  shall  be  humbled ;  and  he  that  humbleth  himself 
shall  be  exalted. 

7.  Spake  a  parable.  As  usual  in  His  table-talk,  giving 
spiritual  food.  This  was  addressed  to  the  guests  in 
general.  When  he  marked,  etc.  Jesus  was  always  ob- 
servant, and  often  found  in  passing  circumstances  occa- 
sion for  instruction.  Having  healed  the  dropsical  man 
before  the  supper,  "  one  might  almost  say  that  the  Saviour 
now  essays  to  heal  that  far  worse  than  bodily  dropsy,  the 
inflation  of  pride,  the  dropsy  of  the  heart,  in  these  miserable 
men"  (Stier).  "  The  dignity  of  these  words  appears  in 
this,  that  without  any  appearance  of  profoundness  or 
severity,  they  lay  bare  the  secret  disposition  lying  at  the 
foundation  of  the  external  behavior  which  they  condemn  " 
(Schleiermacher). 

8.  9.  The  thou  is  general  in  its  reference.  A  marriage 
feast.  Bengel  thinks  the  Lord,  out  of  courtesy,  illus- 
trated by  a  different  occasion  from  that  which  had  brought 
them  then  together :  Meyer  says,  "  the  typical  repre- 
sentations of  the  future  establishment  of  the  kingdom  as 


272  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xiv.  9-12. 

a  wedding  celebration  obviously  suggested  the  expression 
(Matt.xxii.)."  Chief  seat,  more  honourable  man  than 
thou,  and  give  this  man  place,  show  that  people  were 
customarily  placed  at  table  according  to  their  rank  or  pre- 
cedence in  the  eyes  of  the  host.  Why  the  lowest  place  ? 
Because  he  had  assumed  the  highest  place  without  having 
it  assigned  him,  and  now  all  the  other  places  but  the  low- 
est were  filled.  Begin  to  take  denotes  a  shame  that  was 
not  momentary  but  continued.  The  Lord  would  save  us 
from  shame,  and  so  here  gives  a  proper  course  for  honor. 

10.  But  take  the  opposite  course.  Begin  with  the 
lowest  place  and  wait  till  you  are  assigned  to  position  by 
the  host,  when  he  cometh.  This  looks  to  the  heavenly 
Bridegroom.     Glory,  honor,  reputation. 

11.  The  emphatic  word  here  is  himself,  and  only  when 
it  is  so  read  is  the  full  sense  of  the  passage  brought  out. 
Self-exaltation  is  met  by  humiliation  from  a  higher  source, 
and  self-abasement  with  exaltation.  (See  Prov.  xxv.  6,  7.) 
See  this  sentiment  in  same  words  in  xviii.  14  ;  Matt,  xxiii. 
14,  and  comp.  Jas.  iv.  6;  Pet.  v.  5;  Ps.  xviii.  27;  Job 
xxii.  29  ;  Dan.  iv.  37. 

12-14.  And  he  said  to  him  also  that  had  bidden  him,  When  thou  mak- 
est  a  dinner  or  a  supper,  call  not  thy  friends,  nor  thy  brethren,  nor  thy  kins- 
men, nor  rich  neighbours ;  lest  haply  they  also  bid  thee  again,  and  a  re- 
compense be  made  thee.  But  when  thou  makest  a  feast,  bid  the  poor,  the 
maimed,  the  lame,  the  blind  :  and  thou  shall  be  blessed  ;  because  they  have 
not  wherewith  to  recompense  thee :  for  thou  shalt  be  recompensed  in  the 
resurrection  of  the  just. 

12.  The  preceding  words  had  been  addressed  to  the 
guests  ;  now  He  had  a  word  of  admonition  to  him  also 
that  had  bidden  him,  the  host.  Call  here  is  a  word  of 
more  dignity  than  "  bid  "  in  the  next  verse.  Here  the 
invitation  seems  to  be  one  in  person.  Friends  .  .  , 
brethren,  brothers,  closer  than  other  kinsmen   .   .  .  rich 


XIV.  12-15.]  CHAPTER  XIV.  273 

neighbours;  all  these  arc  the  ones  usually  invited  to  friendly 
social  entertainments.  It  is  generally  expected  that  they 
will  bid  thee  again.  All  this  is  well  enough  from  a 
temporal  and  worldly  standpoint.  Jesus  does  not  con- 
demn such  social  civilities.  But  since  in  their  very  nature 
and  course  they  bring  a  recompense,  they  have  no  reward 
besides,  they  count  nothing  spiritually  and  for  the  here- 
after. As  in  Matt.  vi.  2,  5,  such  things  have  their  record 
in  full  in  this  life.  Claim  no  credit  for  them  ;  the  account 
is  squared. 

13,  14.  But  the  Saviour  shows  a  more  excellent  way 
(i  Cor.  xii.  31,  xiii.)  of  charity,  love.  The  poor,  etc.,  have 
not  wherewith  to  recompense  thee  ;  therefore  bid  them, 
show  them  kindness,  do  them  service,  and  not  only  will 
it  be  clear  to  men  that  your  deed  springs  from  unselfish 
love,  but  thou  shalt  be  recompensed  by  the  Lord  of  men 
and  angels — and  so  be  blessed — in  the  resurrection  of 
the  just,  when  the  just  are  raised.  Comp.  Matt.  vi.  i  ; 
XXV.  34-40;  John  v.  29  ;  Acts  xxiv.  15. 

The  resurrection  is  not  the  subject  under  discussion, 
and  we  do  not  see  here  any  reference  to  the  apocalyptic 
(Rev.  XX.  4-6)  idea  of  two  resurrections.  That  deeds  of 
unselfishness,  love  and  mercy  will  be  rewarded  hereafter, 
as  well  as  their  opposites,  is  clear  from  many  passages  of 
Scripture.  (See  Ps.  Ixii.  12;  Prov.  xxiv.  12,29;  Matt. 
xvi.  27;  Rom.  ii.  6  ;  2  Tim.  iv.  14  ;  Rev.  ii.  23,  and,  par- 
ticularly here,  see  Luke  xvi.  9  and  comments.) 

15.  And  when  one  of  them  that  sat  at  meat  with  him  heard  these  things, 
he  said  unto  them,  Blessed  is  he  that  shall  eat  bread  ill  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

15.  Now  the  resurrection  of  the  just  was  associated  in 

the  Jewish^nind  with  the  open  setting  up  of  the  kingdom 

of  God,  which  they  thought  would  be  inaugurated  with 

a  great  feast,  at  which  the  Jews  certainly  would  be  guests. 

18 


274  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xiv.  15-17. 

One  of  those  at  meat  with  Him,  kindling  with  enthusiasm 
at  thoughts  of  all  this,  called  up  by  Jesus*  words,  ex- 
claimed, Blessed  is  he  that  shall  eat  bread  in  the  king= 
dom  of  God.  This  gave  Jesus  occasion  to  utter  the  par- 
able of  the  Great  Supper. 

16.  But  he  said  unto  him,  A  certain  man  made  a  great  supper ;  and  he 
bade  many. 

16.  A  certain  man  here  represents  God.  flade  a  great 
supper.  The  word  rendered  "supper  "  is  the  one  used 
for  the  principal  meal  of  the  day,  no  matter  when  eaten. 
The  figure  of  eating  and  drinking  is  a  very  frequent  one 
to  set  forth  participation  in  the  blessings  of  salvation. 
Isaiah  (xxv,  6)  speaks  of  gospel  blessings  as  "  a  feast  of 
fat  things."     (Comp.  Is.  Iv.  1,2;  Matt.  v.  6.) 

The  Lord's  Supper  is  a  visible  gospel  under  the  form 
of  eating  and  drinking;  and  the  final  happiness  of  the 
saved  is  represented  as  "  the  marriage  supper  of  the 
Lamb "  (Rev.  xix.  9).  The  blessings  of  salvation  are 
provided,  provisions  of  grace  ;  yet  must  they  h^partakcn 
of,  if  any  benefit  is  to  be  received.  God  gives,  man 
takes :  God  sets  the  table,  man  comes  to  it  and  eats. 
This  provision  is  great  in  both  quality  and  quantity. 
"  Whosoever  will,  let  him  take,"  is  written  over  it.  And 
bade  many.  The  many  to  whom  this  points  are  the  first 
bidden,  the  Jews,  and  particularly,  as  after  verses  show, 
the  hierarchy,  the  most  religious  among  them,  priests, 
scribes,  Pharisees. 

17.  And  he  sent  forth  his  servant  at  supper  time,  to  say  to  them  that 
were  bidden,  Come,  for  all  things  are  now  ready. 

17.  Sent  his  servant  at  supper  time.  This  was  the 
second  sending,  according  to  eastern  custom.  It  was  to 
tell  them  that  were  bidden  before,  and  had  accepted  the 
invitation,  that  all  things  are  now  ready.  It  was  supper 
time,  and  they  were  expected  to  come  right  off.     "  Supper 


XIV.  I7-I9-]  CHAPTER  XIV.  275 

time  "  in  the  application  must  refer  to  "  the  fullness  of 
the  time  "  (Gal.  iv.  4  ;  Eph.  i.  10),  when  God  was  manifest 
in  flesh,  the  beginning  of  this  dispensation.  The  "  serv- 
ant "  sent  to  call  the  invited  guests,  then,  must  refer  not 
to  the  prophets  and  Old  Testament  preachers,  but  to  the 
preachers  of  righteousness  from  the  time  of  John  the 
Baptist,  especially  all  since  Pentecost.  The  seed  of  the 
woman  has  come  and  bruised  the  serpent's  head  ;  the 
Redeemer  of  men  has  cried,  "  It  is  finished  ;  "  the  Holy 
Ghost  has  come,  power  from  on  high,  to  abide  with  the 
church  forever ;  the  Lord's  Supper  has  been  instituted  to 
strengthen  and  refresh  His  people  and  show  forth  His 
death  till  He  come  again :  and  though  there  are  many 
servants,  they  all  are  gone  forth  in  the  same  spirit,  with 
the  same  message,  "  Come-,  for  all  things  are  now  ready." 

18-20.  And  they  all  with  one  consent  began  to  make  excuse.  The  first 
said  unto  him,  I  have  bought  a  field,  and  I  must  needs  go  out  and  see  it :  I 
pray  thee  have  me  excused.  And  another  said,  I  have  bought  five  yoke  of 
oxen,  and  I  go  to  prove  tliem  :  I  pray  thee  have  me  excused.  And  an- 
other said,  I  have  married  a  wife,  and  therefore  I  cannot  come. 

18.  And  they  all.  The  first  invited.  The  Jews  as  a 
whole,  especially  those  of  influence  and  in  position,  re- 
jected the  gospel  call.  With  one  consent.  With  one 
spirit,  mind,  disposition.  Began  to  make  excuse.  To 
beg  ofT  from  going  to  the  feast.  The  first  to  whom  the 
servant  came  was  a  property  holder,  well-off,  and  must 
look  after  his  field.  The  shallowness  of  this  excuse  is 
evident ;  for  the  land  would  not  run  away ;  he  could  go 
and  see  it  at  some  other  time.  There  was  not  the  need 
that  he  pretended. 

19,  Another's  plea  was,  I  have  bought  five  yoke  of 
oxen — he  too  must  have  been  well-off — and  I  go  to 
prove  them,  to  test  them.  But  the  oxen  were  already 
bought,  and  at  any  time  he  might  prove  them  ;  indeed  a 
sensible  man  would  have  done  that  before  he  bought  them. 


2^6  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xiv.  20,  21, 

20.  I  have  married  a  wife,  another  said,  and  therefore 
1  cannot  come.  Marrying  a  wife  would,  according  to  the 
law,  excuse  him  for  a  year  from  going  to  war  (Deut.  xxiv. 
5),  but  naturally  would  rather  bind  him  to  social  duties. 
But  he  positively  refuses  to  come.  Excused  is  the  em- 
phatic word  in  the  request  of  each  of  the  other  two. 
Trench  sees  in  the  first  excuse  the  pride  of  the  world, 
elated  through  acquired  possessions,  and  desiring  to  feast 
the  eye  upon  them ;  in  the  second,  the  care  and  anxiety 
of  business,  filling  the  soul ;  and  in  the  last,  the  pleasure 
of  the  world,  which  does  not  even  beg  off,  but  contuma- 
ciously refuses.  Possessions,  business,  pleasure — how 
operative  still  in  keeping  men  from  falling  in  with  the 
overtures  of  mercy !  Observe  that  there  is  no  sin  in 
possessing  lands,  or  in  being  diligent  in  business,  or  in 
marriage:  but  to  let  any  or  all  of  these  keep  us  from 
Christ,  to  put  any  or  all  of  them  above  the  call  of  the 
gospel,  to  make  them  our  chief  love — this  is  the  sin. 

21.  And  the  servant  came,  and  told  his  lord  these  things.  Then  the 
master  of  the  house  being  angry  said  to  his  servant,  Go  out  quickly  into 
the  streets  and  lanes  of  the  city,  and  bring  in  hither  the  poor  and  maimed 
and  blind  and  lame. 

21.  Angry.  And  justly  so.  The  treatment  received 
was  most  insulting,  and  without  a  shadow  of  justification. 
Jesus  is  represented  (Mark  iii.  5)  as  looking  around  with 
anger  on  the  hypocritical  Jews  about  him  ;  and  God  is 
said  to  be  "  angry  with  the  wicked  every  day." 

Then.  This  result  was  known  by  God,  however,  from 
all  eternity,  and  then  His  purpose  was  determined  to 
open  the  provisions  of  grace  to  all.  Go  out  quickly  into 
the  streets  and  lanes  of  the  city.  To  people  of  the  same 
neighborhood,  and  such  as  could  be  reached  "  quickly  " — 
meaning  still  the  Jews,  but  the  poor,  and  the  maimed, 
and  the  blind,  who  will  have  no  such  excuses  to  offer  ;  to 


XIV.  21-24-]  CHAPTER  XIV.  277 

the  publicans  and  sinners,  whom  those  first  called  despise 
and  call  accursed  (John  vii.  49)  ;  to  the  weary  and  heavy 
laden.     "  To  the  poor  the  gospel  is  preached  !  " 

22.  And  the  servant  said,  Lord,  what  thou  didst  command  is  done,  and 
yet  there  is  room. 

22.  This  done,  the  servant  reports,  And  yet  there  is  room. 
There  is  much  room  at  the  gospel  feast.  See  above  on 
ver.  16.  "  And  yet  there  is  room  "  today.  Therefore 
should  we  as  God's  servants  be  diligent  to  give  the  gospel 
call  to  as  many  as  possible.  Missions  !  Missions  !  ! 
Missions  ! ! ! 

23.  And  the  lord  said  unto  the  servant.  Go  out  into  the  higliways  and 
hedges,  and  constrain  them  to  come  in,  that  my  house  may  be  filled. 

23.  Go  out  into  the  highways  and  hedges,  outside  the 
city,  into  the  roads  and  fields,  outside  of  Jewry  into  the 
world  that  lieth  in  wickedness,  to  the  Gentiles — all  abroad, 
and  constrain  them  to  come  in.  Of  course  this  compul- 
sion could  only  be  moral.  It  might  be  hard  to  persuade 
these  classes  that  tJicy  were  invited,  that  they,  in  their 
poverty,  rags,  and  wretched  condition,  would  be  ivelconie 
at  the  "great  supper."  But  overcome  their  objections; 
2trgc  them  to  come  in.  That  my  house  may  be  filled. 
Grace,  as  well  as  nature,  Bengel  remarks,  abhors  a 
vacuum.  To  fill  God's  house  will  take  a  great  many 
people.  Here  is  another  answer  to  the  question,  "  Are 
there  few  that  be  saved  ?  " 

24.  For  I  say  unto  you,  that  none  of  those  men  which  were  bidden  shall 
taste  of  my  supper. 

24.  I  say  unto  you.  These  are  the  w^ords  of  the  giver 
of  the  supper,  the  "  master  of  the  house."  We  have  seen 
that  in  the  application  of  the  parable  he  represents  God. 
None  of  those  men  which  were  bidden  and  refused  to 
come,  shall  taste  of  my  supper.      If  they  come    after 


278  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xi v.  24-26. 

this,  it  will  be  too  late  ;  the  door  will  be  shut.  Such  is 
the  doom  of  all  who  refuse  the  invitations  of  grace  and 
despise  the  riches  of  God's  goodness.  Those  Jews,  as 
individuals  and  as  a  people,  were  cut  off ;  the  time  is 
coming  when  their  descendants  shall  be  called  and  Avill 
obey.  Now  is  the  time  of  the  Gentiles'  call.  (See  Rom. 
ix.-xi.) 

25,  26.  Now  there  went  with  him  great  multitudes :  and  he  turned,  and 
said  unto  them,  If  any  man  cometh  unto  me,  and  hatethnothis  own  father, 
and  mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and  brethren,  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his 
own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple. 

25.  Great  multitudes  were  going  with  Jesus.  He  did 
not  feel  flattered  by  this.  He  saw  deeper  than  appear- 
ances. He  knew  the  difference  between  following  Him 
with  their  feet  and  following  Him  with  their  hearts. 
Great  multitudes  may  come  to  church  and  crowd  the 
building  :  but  this  does  not  prove  that  many  are  becom- 
ing Jesus'  disciples.  He  turned  to  them  with  a  warning 
and  a  statement  of  what  is  involved  in  following  Christ 
that  seems  severe  and  repellent.  But  Jesus  never  kept 
back  the  truth  because  it  was  hard  and  would  not  be  accept- 
able. He  wanted  disciples  but  not  mere  followers.  He 
kept  back  the  crowd  with  the   plain   and   forcible   truth. 

26.  What  is  said  here  is  doubtless  very  repulsive  to 
men  now :  and  many,  without  seeking  to  know  His 
meaning,  turn  away  disdainfully  from  such  a  statement. 
It  is  only  another  way  of  saying,  "  Thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul, 
and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  with  all  thy  strength."  And 
one  who  does  this,  or  even  tries  to  do  it,  may  and  will 
love  his  fellowmen,  to  say  nothing  of  his  near  kin,  who 
are  dear  to  him  by  natural  and  proper  affection.  The 
first  table  of  the  law  teaches  supreme  love  to  God  :  and 
this  teaches  and  enables    us  to  love  our  fellowmen,    as 


XIV.  26,  27-]  CHAPTER  XIV.  279 

taught  in  the  second  table.  We  are  not  to  Jiatc  anybody. 
What  is  this,  then,  about  Jutting  father,  mother,  wife, 
children,  and  so  on  ?  This  is  only  a  strong  way  of  put- 
ting it  that  nothing  may  stand  between  us  and  God, 
nothing  may  claim  our  love  before  and  greater  than  love 
to  Him.  God  is  nearer  to  us,  more  to  us,  and  should  be 
dearer  than  any  earthly  kin.  Only  as  we  understand 
and  fulfil  our  relationship  to  God  do  these  other  relation- 
ships, which  He  Himself  has  established,  appear  in  their 
true  light.  Everywhere  in  God's  word  we  are  taught 
love  to  all  those  mentioned  in  this  verse,  but  "  only  in 
the  Lord."  "  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before 
me  :  "  thou  shalt  have  no  other  love  before  love  of  me. 
God  must  be  supreme  in  our  affections.  This  is  what 
Jesus  means.  And  his  own  life  also.  Comp.  Eph.  v.  29. 
The  love  of  life  is  natural  and  proper,  and  to  hate  it  is 
next  thing  to  impossible.  But  it  was  the  father  of  lies 
that  said  (Job  ii.  4),  "  All  that  a  man  hath  will  he  give 
for  his  life."  Many  men  reecho  this  sentiment  approv- 
ingly. There  is  a  half-truth  in  it.  But  every  one  knows 
that  many  a  one  has  given  his  life  for  his  country,  for  his 
kin,  for  his  cause,  his  honor,  even  his  fame.  Many  a  one 
has  eiven  his  life  for  his  God,  in  the  home  and  in  the 
foreign  mission-field.  There  are  many  things  more  pre- 
cious than  this  natural  life. 

27.     Whosoever  doth  not  bear  his  own  cross,  and  come  after  me,  cannot 
be  my  disciple. 

27.  Whosoever.  The  same  requirement  of  every  one. 
His  own  cross.  So  then  every  one  has  a  cross  :  he  does 
not  and  should  not  make  it :  circumstances  will  make  it, 
under  the  divine  providence  :  but  he  must  bear  it  (Gal. 
vi.  5  and  2).  In  bearing  his  cross,  one  has  only  to  come 
after  the  Master.     He  asks  us  only  to  follow  Him. 


2So  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xiv.  2S-31. 

28-30.  For  which  of  you  desiring  to  build  a  tower,  doth  not  first  sit  down 
and  count  the  cost,  whether  he  hath  whercztnth  to  complete  it  ?  Lest  haply, 
when  he  hath  laid  a  foundation,  and  is  not  able  to  finish,  all  that  behold 
begin  to  mock  him,  saying,  This  man  began  to  build,  and  was  not  able  to 
finish. 

28.  The  point  is  that  it  is  desirable  and  necessary,  in 
our  Christian  Hfe  and  character,  to  go  on  to  a  finish,  to 
completion.  A  foundation  is  of  prime  importance,  but 
to  stop  with  it  is  to  fail  and  even  become  a  laughing 
stock.  Is  this  teaching  then  against  making  a  beginning  ? 
Oh,  no  ;  for  there's  no  completion  without  a  beginning, 
no  house  or  tower  without  a  foundation.  But  Jesus  will 
have  us  all,  and  every  one,  enter  on  discipleship  consider- 
ately— count  the  cost.  Easy,  light,  unthinking  profes- 
sion, such  as  is  often  seen  and  urged  by  "  evangelists  " 
and  in  what  are  called  "  revival  meetiaigs,"  those  votings, 
holding  up  of  hands  and  "  committing  themselves,"  seem 
here  to  be  disapproved  :  on  the  contrary,  our  Lutheran 
method  of  counting  the  cost  in  a  study  of  ourselves  and 
God's  Avord  in  the  light  of  the  catechism,  leads  to  that 
considerate  profession  which  is  likely  to  go  on  to  a  finish. 

29,  30.  How  many  mere  foundations,  mere  professions, 
without  any  superstructure  of  godly  and  growing  charac- 
ter, are  to  be  seen,  leading  the  enemies  of  religion  to 
mock  not  only  the  person  but  the  cause  !  Life  must 
follow  learning,  result  of  catechization. 

31-33.  Or  what  king,  as  he  goeth  to  encounter  another  king  in  war,  will 
not  sit  down  first  and  take  counsel  whether  he  is  able  with  ten  thousand  to 
meet  him  that  cometh  against  him  with  twenty  thousand  ?  Or  else,  while 
the  other  is  yet  a  great  way  off,  he  sendeth  an  ambassage,  and  asketh  con- 
ditions of  peace.  So  therefore  whosoever  he  be  of  you  that  renounceth  not 
all  that  he  hath,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple. 

31.  An  illustration  from  war.  The  one  has  only  ten 
thousand    of    an  army  :  the    other,     twenty    thousand. 

Will  the  former  enter  rashly  and  blindly  into  such  a  con- 


XIV.  3I-3S-]  CHAPTER  XIV.  281 

test  or  sit  down  first  and  take  counsel  ?  The  question 
is  whether  he  is  able.  No  man  is  able  for  this  warfare. 
"  Not  by  might  nor  by  power,  but  by  my  Spirit,  saith 
the  Lord."     Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things  ?     No  one  ! 

32.  But  there  is  another  alternative — conditions  of 
peace.  The  considerate,  self-knowing  person  will  desire 
these,  and  sendeth  an  ambassage  to  this  end. 

33.  5o,  whosoever  renounceth  not  all  that  he  hath, 
whoever  does  not  surrender,  even  to  giving  up  all,  he 
cannot  be  my  disciple,  Jesus  says.  This  is  the  supreme 
demand  of  the  Lord.  He  wants  the  whole — entire  con- 
secration. 

34,  35.  Salt  therefore  is  good  :  but  if  even  the  salt  have  lost  its  savour, 
wherewith  shall  it  be  seasoned  ?  It  is  fit  neither  for  the  land  nor  for  the 
dunghill  :  vieii  cast  it  out.     He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear. 

34.  Salt  therefore  is  good.  Notice  the  connection. 
Suppose  we  read  it  more  exactly,  "  Good  (or  excellent), 
therefore,  is  the  salt."  A  profession  of  Christ  is  excel- 
lent, is  desirable,  is  the  thing.  "  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the 
earth,"  said  Jesus  to  His  disciples.  But  if  even  the  salt 
have  lost  its  savour,  if  it  is  saltless  salt,  called  salt  but 
without  the  properties  of  salt,  a  profession  without  pos- 
session, a  mere  name,  wherewith  shall  it  (the  saltless  salt) 
be  seasoned  ?  What  can  you  do  with  it,  or  what  can  it 
do?     What  is  it  good  for? 

35.  Men  cast  it  out  as  worthless:  and  so  does  God. 
An  empty  profession,  a  mere  name  to  live  (Rev.  iii.  i), 
discipleship  that  is  fruitless  of  love,  life  and  sacrifice,  a 
Christianity  that  costs  nothing — is  worth  nothing.  (See 
on  Matt.  V.  13  ;  Mark  ix.  50.)  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear, 
let  him  use  them  for  their  proper  purpose,  not  as  mere 
opposite  ends  of  a  passage  through  the  head  !  A  fre- 
quent admonition  of  our  Lord. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

T,  2.  Now  all  the  publicans  and  sinners  were  drawing  near  unto  him  for 
to  hear  him.  And  both  the  Pharisees  and  the  scribes  murmured,  saying, 
This  man  receiveth  sinners  and  eateth  with  them. 

I.  Here  were  those  who  were  wont  to  gather  about 
Jesus,  drawing  near  at  this  time  in  marked  and  increas- 
ing numbers.  They  found  in  Him  sympathy,  not  for 
their  sins,  but  for  their  undone,  pitiful,  helpless  condition. 
The  publicans  were  doubtless  exacting,  self-seeking,  rude  : 
they  were,  moreover,  considered  traitors,  since  they  col- 
lected the  revenue  which  showed  Israel  to  be  subject 
to  another  power,  the  detested  Romans.  But  our  Lord 
found  one  of  the  twelve  and  many  a  disciple  from  among 
their  number.  Sinners  were  those  who  were  open  and 
known  transgressors ;  doubtless  they  were  often  not  so 
bad  as  those  who  despised  them,  but  they  neither  cared 
nor  tried  to  cover  up  their  tracks  ;  they  were  willing  to 
seem  what  they  were.  The  Pharisees  were  the  orthodox 
party  among  the  Jews,  legalists,  self-righteous,  formal, 
technical  religionists,  but  without  the  Spirit.  The  scribes 
were  officially  the  transcribers  and  keepers  of  the  books 
of  the  law,  and  also  the  interpreters  of  the  same,  in  a  day 
when  books  Avere  not  printed  and  were  not  plenty  as  now. 
The  Pharisees  and  scribes  were  the  very  respectable 
among  the  Jews,  the  aristocracy.  They  felt  toward  the 
publicans  and  sinners  as  the  Brahmans  of  India  feel  to- 
ward the  Sudras.  Caste  feeling  w^as  conspicuous  in  Pales- 
tine as  in  India,  though  not  based  so  much  on  the  circum- 
stances of  birth. 

282 


XV.  2,  3-]  CHAPTER    XV.  283 

2.  The  despised,  the  common  classes  continually  were 
drawing  near  unto  the  Son  of  man,  the  second  Head  of 
the  race.  The  other  classes  murmured  at  the  kind  re- 
ception they  received,  anddeprecatinijly  spoke  of  Jesus  as 
this  man  and  laid  it  to  His  charge  as  a  thing  unworthy 
and  condemning  that  He  receiveth  sinners,  and  eateth 
with  them.  They  did  not  do  so,  would  not  do  so. 
They  said  to  such,  "  Stand  off,  for  I  am  holier  tlian  thou." 

What  they  charged  upon  Jesus  here  was  eminently 
true.  He  did  receive  and  eat  with  publicans  and  sinners. 
And  herein  is  our  hope  and  our  example.  For  none  of 
us  can  claim  by  nature  or  life  any  higher  place  than  that 
of  sinner.  The  implication  of  these  murmurers  that  Jesus 
was  like  the  company  He  kept  was  false.  While  among 
sinners,  to  save  them  from  their  lost  condition,  He  Him- 
self was  "  holy,  harmless,  undefiled  and  separate  from 
sinners  "  in  character.  Not  because  He  loved  their  ways, 
but  because  He  loved  them  and  desired  to  lift  them  up  out 
of  their  evil  ways,  was  Jesus  personally  among  them.  So 
the  physician  goes  among  the  insane,  the  sick,  the  leprous  : 
so  the  lover  of  mankind  goes  among  the  wounded,  the 
prisoners,  the  fallen — to  the  rescue.  The  way  to  win  men 
is  not  to  despise  them,  not  to  come  to  them  as  if  you  were 
letting  yourself  very  far  down,  as  if  you  were  better  than 
they.  Men  want  sympathy,  kindness,  love.  Jesus  has 
showed  us  how  to  win  men  :  and  "  he  that  winneth  souls 
is  wise." 

3,  4.  And  he  spake  unto  them  this  parable,  saying,  What  man  of  you, 
having  a  hundred  sheep,  and  having  lost  one  of  them,  doth  not  leave  the 
ninety  and  nine  in  the  wilderness,  and  go  after  that  which  is  lost,  until  he 
find  it  ? 

3,  4.  Here  in  the  parable  of  the  lost  sheep  Jesus  ex- 
plains Himself  and  shows  the  murmurers  the  reason  of 
His  fellowship  with  outcasts.     He    appeals   to    each    of 


284  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xv.  4-6. 

tlvem,  to  their  own  nature — what  man  of  you  doth  not 
do  likewise  in  the  case  of  a  lost  sheep?  Though  hav- 
ing a  hundred,  the  !ost  one  will  draw  out  your  desire, 
your  sympathy,  your  search,  so  as  to  leave  the  ninety 
and  nine  in  their  pasturage,  the  wilderness,  and  go  after 
the  lost.  This  belongs  to  the  true  and  better  instincts  of 
our  nature,  to  go  out  in  our  affections  and  endeavors 
after  that  of  ours  which  is  unfortunate  and  in  trouble 
more  than  after  that  which  is  safe  and  sound,  not  in 
manifest  peril.  So  a  mother  looks  after  a  crippled  or 
sickly  child  more  than  after  the  hearty  ones,  though 
loving  them  none  the  less.  Even  some  of  the  finer  irra- 
tional animals  have  been  known  to  do  the  same  thing. 
And  shall  the  Lord  Jesus  be  less  merciful,  less  sympa- 
thetic, less  lovnng?  Oh  no;  He  is  "above  all"  in  this 
too.  Until  he  find  it.  He  will  not  be  satisfied  till  then. 
The  object  is  not  merely  to  know  where  it  is  or  how  it  is, 
but  to  find  it,  to  rescue  it,  to  restore  it  to  its  place  and 
condition  before  it  was  lost.  Jesus  fijids  and  saves  the 
lost.  None  such  can  find  or  save  himself.  It  is  God's 
grace  that  goes  before  and  finds,  woos  and  wins  the 
sinner. 

5-7.  And  when  he  hath  found  it,  he  layeth  it  on  his  shoulders,  rejoicing. 
And  when  he  cometh  home,  he  calleth  together  his  friends  and  his  neigh- 
bours, saying  unto  them,  Rejoice  with  me,  for  I  have  found  my  sheep  which 
was  lost.  I  say  unto  you,  that  even  so  there  shall  be  joy  in  heaven  over 
one  sinner  that  repenteth,  more  than  over  ninety  and  nine  righteous  persons, 
which  need  no  repentance. 

5.  See  how  kindly  he  treats  it  when  he  hath  found  it. 
He  does  not  kick  and  cuff  it  and  upbraid  it  for  having 
got  lost.  No;  he  layeth  it  on  his  shoulders,  carries  it 
home,  rejoicing.  Oh,  how  the  tender  love  of  Jesus,  the 
Shepherd  true,  is  here  portrayed ! 

6.  One  doesn't  like  to  rejoice  alone:  friends  and  neigh- 


XV.  6-8.]  CHAPTER    XV.  285 

hours  increase  the  joy  by  sharing  in  it.     Rejoice  with  me, 

says  the  joyous  man.     How  natural  this  is  :  every  true 
heart  beats  responsive  to  this  representation. 

7.  We  often  want  to  know  about  heaven  and  the  un- 
seen. Here  is  an  I  say  unto  you  from  the  Lord  of  heaven  : 
and  He  says  one  sinner  that  repenteth  shall  cause  joy 
in  heaven.  The  angels  will  rejoice  with  the  Saviour. 
(Comp.  ver.  10.)  Who  are  the  ninety  and  nine  righteous 
persons,  which  need  no  repentance?  There  are  none 
absolutely  such,  except  the  holy  angels.  The  Pharisees 
and  Scribes  counted  themselves  such,  but  it  was  in  igno- 
rance both  of  themselves  and  of  the  depth  and  spiritu- 
ality of  the  divine  law.  But  this  expression  may  refer  to 
those  who  have  not  been  open  and  wanton  sinners,  who 
have  grown  up  in  the  fear  and  love  of  God  from  their  in- 
fant baptism,  who  neither  can  expect  nor  be  expected  to 
have  a  sudden  and  marked  "  conversion,"  a  distinct  line 
between  the  opposite  states  of  "  lost  "  and  "  found."  It 
is  merely  natural,  and  properly  so,  that  the  joy  over  the 
recovered  is  more  pronounced  and  felt  than  that  over  the 
safely  folded,  the  abiding,  the  constantly  true. 

8,  9.  Or  what  woman,  having  ten  pieces  of  silver,  if  she  lose  one  piece, 
doth  not  light  a  lamp,  and  sweep  the  house,  and  seek  diligently  until  she 
find  it .''  And  when  she  hath  found  it,  she  calleth  together  her  friends  and 
neighbours,  saying.  Rejoice  with  me,  for  I  have  found  the  piece  which  I 
had  lost. 

8,  9.  Here  is  a  second  illustration  of  the  propriety  of 
the  Saviour's  course,  in  the  parable  of  the  lost  coin. 
In  the  former  it  was  a  living  creature  that  could 
and  was  likely  to  go  astray  of  itself.  Here  it  is 
a  piece  of  money  lost  by  a  woman.  That  was  lost 
in  the  wilderness,  this,  in  the  house.  The  piece  of 
silver  had  on  it  the  stamp  of  its  worth.  There  is  an 
ordinary  and  plain  interpretation  of  this  parable  which 


286  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xv.  8,  9. 

needs  no  exposition.  But  there  is  a  beautiful,  mystical 
interpretation  which  the  church  fathers  delighted  in, 
which  sees  in  the  woman  the  church,  and  in  the  lost  coin 
a  baptized,  sealed  person  lost  through  want  of  constant 
care,  not  looked  after  until,  when  sought  for,  he  is  not  to 
be  found.  The  piece  which  I  had  lost,  the  woman  says, 
charging  herself  with  the  losing  of  it.  Then  the  lighting 
of  the  candle  and  sweeping  the  house  marks  the  church's 
effort  and  stir  to  reclaim  the  back-slidden,  such  as  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel,  the  searching  of  themselves  by 
the  members  of  the  church  and  their  renewed  application 
to  Christian  love  and  duty.  On  this  TRENCH  remarks, 
"  What  a  deranging  of  the  house  for  a  time  !  How  does 
the  dust  which  had  been  allowed  to  settle  down  and  ac- 
cumulate begin  to  rise  and  fly  about  in  every  direction  ; 
how  unwelcome  that  which  is  going  forward  to  any  that 
may  be  in  the  house  and  have  no  interest  in  the  finding 
of  that  which  has  been  lost.  Thus  it  is  with  the  word  of 
God.  Evermore  the  charge  against  it  is,  that  it  turns 
the  world  upside  down,  even  as  indeed  it  does.  For  only 
let  that  word  be  proclaimed,  and  how  much  of  open  aver- 
sion to  the  truth  becomes  now  open  enmity  ;  how  much 
of  torpid  alienation  against  God  is  changed  into  active 
hostility;  what  an  outcry  is  there  against  the  troublers  of 
Israel,  against  the  witnesses  that  torment  the  dwellers 
upon  the  earth,  the  men  that  will  not  let  the  world  alone. 
But  amid  all  this,  while  others  are  making  outcry  about 
the  dust  and  inconvenience,  she  that  bears  the  candle  of 
the  Lord  is  diligently  looking  meanwhile  for  her  lost,  not 
ceasing  her  labor,  her  care,  her  diligence,  till  she  has  re- 
covered her  own  again."  And  then  comes  the  joy,  shared 
by  friends  and  neighbours. 

10.     Even  so,   I  say  unto  you,  there  is  joy  in  tlie  presence  of  the  angels 
of  God  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth. 


XV.  lo,  II.]  CHAPTER  XV.  *  287 

10.  The  shepherd — one  of  you — rejoiceth  over  his  lost 
sheep  found  ;  the  woman  over  her  lost  coin  recovered. 
Even  so  in  the  greater  matter  of  one  sinner  that  re= 
penteth,  a  lost  soul  found  and  saved,  there  is  joy  in  the 
presence  of  the  angels  of  God.  The  church  above  re- 
joices with  the  church  beneath.  And  what  makes  angels 
glad  ought  not  to  make  right-minded  men  murmur. 

II.     And  he  said,  A  certain  man  had  two  sons. 

This  is  the  third  parable  in  succession  on  the  lost 
found.  First  it  was  a  sheep  that  was  lost,  perhaps  in 
heedlessness  ;  then  it  was  a  piece  of  money,  the  keeping 
of  which  was  in  other  hands  ;  now  it  is  a  son,  in  his  wilful- 
ness. This  last  comes  nearer  home  to  us  all.  We  all 
either  are  sons  (this  including  daughters)  or  have  sons. 
The  two  former  lost  objects  were  sought  and  brought ; 
the  last,  as  he  wilfully  became  lost,  so  he  willingly  re- 
turned from  his  lost  estate.  There's  a  progress  in  these 
parables,  and  this  one  is  the  climax  and  reaches  and 
teaches  all  human  hearts.  Lange  calls  this  parable 
"  a  gospel  within  the  Gospel,"  and  NiTZSCH  says,  "  We 
all  must  find  ourselves  reproduced  in  this  parable  in  some 
sense,  either  as  we  have  become,  or  as  we  have  ever  been, 
or  as  we  are  hoping  and  endeavoring  to  be."  Stier 
considers  it  "  the  crown  and  the  pearl  of  all  our  Lord's 
parables,"  and  exclaims,  "  How  divinely  Jninian  is  this 
parable  of  the  God-man  !  " 

1 1.  Two  sons  are  necessary  to  make  up  the  representa- 
tion. The  occasion  of  the  parable  is  seen  in  verses  1-3. 
It  was  spoken  to  the  murmuring  Pharisees  and  Scribes, 
the  Jewish  leaders,  in  the  presence  of  the  publicans  and 
sinners,  the  common  people.  The  two  sons  represent 
these  two  classes :  herein,  too,  they  represent  all  men — 
all  found  at  last  unlike  their  Father,  of  a  different  spirit, 


288  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKEl  [xv.  ii,  12. 

fallen  from  the  divine  image — but  the  one  showing  this 
in  a  wanton,  prodigal  manner,  the  other,  in  a  quiet  and 
sedate  manner.  So  it  includes,  and  some  think  is  typi- 
cally representative  of,  Jews  and  Gentiles. 

12.  And  the  younger  of  them  said  to  his  father,  Father,  give  me  the  por- 
tion of  thy  substance  that  falleth  to  me.  And  he  divided  unto  them  his 
living. 

12.  It  was  eminently  fitting  that  the  younger  of  them 

should  be  represented  as  the  thoughtless,  the  unfilial,  the 
prodigal.  According  to  Hebrew  law  the  elder  received 
the  large  portion  of  the  inheritance,  and  would  naturally 
remain  in  the  homestead  (Deut.  xxi.  17).  He  would 
naturally  be  the  more  grave  and  dignified.  The  younger 
son  said.  Father,  but  his  words  and  the  way  he  acted 
did  not  show  a  filial  spirit.  "  And  why  call  ye  me  Lord, 
Lord,  and  do  not  the  things  which  I  say?  "  Give  me  the 
portion  of  thy  (the)  substance  (of  the  property)  that 
falleth  to  me,  my  share.  In  the  form  of  petition,  it 
bears  the  air  of  demand.  A  father's  property  is  usually 
not  divided  until  after  his  death  ;  it  certainly  is  presump- 
tuous in  a  young  man  to  ask  what  this  one  did.  This 
shows  already  the  spirit  of  the  younger  son,  before  his 
following  acts  showed  it  to  the  world.  So  our  first 
parents,  before  they  took  the  forbidden  fruit,  alienated 
their  hearts,  or  suffered  them  to  be  alienated  from  God, 
and  the  following  outward  act  of  disobedience  but  mani- 
fested that  turnhig  from  God.  In  them  and  in  this 
young  man  we  see  sclf-ivill  as  the  basis  of  unfilial  char- 
acter. Self-will,  over  against  the  divine  will,  is  the 
essence  of  sin. 

And  he  divided  unto  them  his  living.  As  he  found 
the  son's  affections  centred  on  himself,  he  thought  best 
to  not  restrain  or  compel  them,  but  to  give  him  his  desire, 


XV.  12-14.]  CHAPTER  XV.  289 

to  let  him  learn  by  that  hard  teacher,  experience.  So 
God  gave  Israel  the  flesh  he  demanded  for  his  body,  but 
sent  leanness  into  his  soul  (Ps.  cvi.  15),  and  again  gave 
him  a  king  despite  His  anger  at  the  unwise  and  wicked 
but  importunate  demand  (Hos.  xiii.  11).  God  does  not 
force  character ;  for  then  the  result  would  not  be  char- 
acter. He  respects  the  free  will  He  has  given  man,  and 
grants  him  his  way,  intending  by  His  providence  to  bring 
him  to  chastisement,  repentance,  and  reformation  by  it. 

13.  And  not  many  days  after  the  younger  son  gathered  all  together,  and 
took  his  journey  into  a  far  country  ;  and  there  he  wasted  his  substance  with 
riotous  living. 

13.  Not  many  days  after  the  younger  son's  feet  fol- 
lowed his  affections  away  from  his  father's  house.  He 
gathered  all  together,  in  his  selfishness,  and  took  his 
journey.  Whether  he  went  west  or  east  or  north  or 
south,  we  know  not.  But  he  went  into  a  far  country, 
far  from  home  and  all  its  oversight,  restraint  and  affec- 
tions. He  wanted  to  be  independent.  How  beautifully 
this  far  country  sets  forth  the  sinner's  place,  so  far  as  his 
affections  and  ways  are  concerned,  in  respect  to  God  ! 
And  there,  in  the  independence  and  self-will  which  de- 
lighted him,  he  wasted,  scattered,  made  away  with,  his 
substance,  the  portion  that  had  fallen  to  him,  with  riotous 
living.  The  Greek  beautifully  renders  it,  living  tinsav- 
ingly.  He  spai"ed  nothing,  neither  money  nor  self,  but 
was  heedless,  reckless,  prodigal.  Even  all  this  was  better 
than  to  be  mean,  hoarding,  and  self-seeking  in  that  way. 
He  was  probably  generous  to  a  fault,  hail  fellow  well 
met. 

14.  And  when  he  hath  spent  all,  there  arose  a  mighty  famine  in  that 
country;  and  he  began  to  be  in  want. 

14.  But  there  came  a  change  upon  the  spirit   of  his 
19 


290  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xv.  14-16. 

dreams.  Riches  do  not  endure  forever.  And,  presently, 
the  young  man  found  he  had  spent  all  his  patrimony ; 
he  had  Hved  so  unsavingly  and  unsavedly  that  all  was 
gone.  And  at  the  same  time  there  arose  a  mighty 
famine  in  that  land.  God's  providence  joined  with  his 
improvidence  to  bring  him  into  straits.  He  began  to  be 
in  want,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life.  He  was  compelled 
now  to  take  a  sober  view  of  things.  It  is  kindness  in 
God  to  send  sorrow  upon  us  in  our  sins,  that  we  may 
not  go  on  in  sin  till  all  life  and  hope  are  gone.  God  by 
His  providence  chastens  men,  to  bring  them  to  repentance. 
Moreover  it  is  the  very  nature  of  sin,  as  departure  from 
God,  to  bring  sorrow  and  death.  "  Whatsoever  a  man 
soweth,  that  also  shall  he  reap." 

15,  16.  And  he  went  and  joined  himself  to  one  of  the  citizens  of  that 
country;  and  he  sent  him  into  his  fields  to  feed  swine.  And  he  would  fain 
have  been  filled  with  the  husks  that  the  swine  did  eat :  and  no  man  gave 
unto  him. 

15.  The  prodigal  now  sought  some  recourse  from  the 
evils  that  stared  him  in  the  face.  First  he  went  and 
joined  himself  to  a  citizen  of  that  country,  that  far 
country,  that  land  of  sinful  pleasure  and  worldly  delight. 
Sinners  first  try  to  better  themselves  away  from  God,  one 
this  way,  another  that  way.  Well,  this  citizen  sent  him 
into  his  fields  to  feed  swine.  That  was  about  the 
lowest  estate  to  which  a  Jew  could  be  brought. 

16.  The  young  man  was  ready  to  pounce  upon  the 
husks  (pods  of  the  carob  tree,  sometimes  eaten  by  people 
in  greatest  poverty)  that  the  swine  did  eat,  and  no  man 
gave  unto  him  in  that  selfish  land,  afar  from  God,  where 
each  sought  his  own  and  none  cared  for  another. 

17-20.  But  when  he  came  to  himself  he  said,  How  many  hired  servants 
of  my  father's  have  bread  enough  and  to  spare,  and  I  perish  here  with  hun- 
ger !     I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  father,  and  will  say  unto  him,  Father,  I  have 


XV.  17-I9-]  CHAPTER  XIII.  291 

sinned  against  lieaven,  and  in  thy  sight  :  I  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called 
thy  son  :  make  me  as  one  of  thy  hired  servants.  And  he  arose,  and  came 
to  his  father.  But  while  he  was  yet  afar  off,  his  father  saw  him,  and  was 
moved  with  compassion,  and  ran,  and   fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed  him. 

17.  He  came  to  himself  at  length,  was  sobered,  took 
time  to  think,  reahzed  the  situation.  The  sinner  is  de- 
ranged, yet  wilfully  he  remains  estranged  from  God, 
until,  in  God's  providence  and  grace,  he  is  brought  to  a 
true  self-consciousness  and  begins  to  know  himself.  The 
young  man  remembered  v^\\dX  he  had  left,  the  situation  at 
his  father's  house,  where  even  the  hired  servants  had 
bread  enough  and  to  spare,  and  yet  here  he  was,  a  son 
in  a  hired  servant's  place,  in  the  far  country,  and  ready 
to  perish  with  hunger.  What  a  contrast  between  there 
and  here  !  The  young  man  is  finding  out  what  it  is  to 
leave  a  good  home  and  go  off  in  self-will.  His  independ- 
ence has  gone  into  thin  air.  He  is  utterly  dependent 
now,  and  cannot  even  earn  his  daily  bread. 

18.  I  will  arise — a  good  resolution.  Start  up  from  the 
far  land  and  the  evil  situation.  And  go  not  further  off 
but  back  to  my  father.  For  he  is  "  father  "  still,  though 
I  have  forfeited  the  place  of  son.  And  will  say  unto  him 
the  truth,  will  own  up,  will  make  humble  confession.  I 
have  sinned.  "If  we  say  we  have  no  sin  we  deceive 
ourselves."  "  If  we  say  we  have  not  sinned  we  make  God 
a  liar."  But  the  prodigal  said,  and  David  said,  and  we 
say  (see  "Common  Service"),  "  I  will  confess  my  trans- 
gressions unto  the  Lord." 

19.  He  does  this  humbly,  as  no  more  worthy  to  be 
called  son,  as  ready  to  take  a  place  among  the  hired 
servants.  So  the  Lord  Jesus  washed  the  disciples'  feet, 
and  bade  us  act  in  like  manner.  In  all  this  we  see  the 
first  parts  of  repentance, — sorrow,  resolution  to  return,  a 
mental  turning  from  self  and  sin  to  God  and  home.     But 


292  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xv.  19-21. 

this  in  itself  is  not  repentance.     There  remains  the  doing 
of  the  thing  resolved,  the  actual  return. 

20.  And  he  arose  and  came  to  his  father.  He  com- 
pleted in  act  what  he  had  begun  in  thought.  His 
repentance  was  not  a  wavering  wish  or  longing  hope 
merely.  He  actually  returned.  So  the  sinner  faces 
about  and  comes  back  to  God  from  whom  he  had  gone 
far  away.  But  while  .  .  ,  yet  afar  off — mark  that  : 
"  yet  afar  off !  " — father  saw  him — God's  eye  is  on  the 
sinner  ;  He  desires  to  win  back  the  wanderer,  to  recover 
the  fallen,  to  save  the  lost  ;  He  watches  over  him  even 
in  his  sins  and  prodigality,  hoping  and  moving  provi- 
dentially and  graciously  upon  him  for  his  repentance  and 
return — and  was  moved  with  compassion — "  God  is 
love  ;  "  "  like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord 
pitieth  them  that  fear  him,"  and  even  those  that  do  not, 
if  only  they  will  come  to  loving  fear  of  Him — and  ran — 
yes,  God  meets  the  sinner  more  than  half  way  ;  He  sent 
the  trouble  upon  him,  chiefly  to  bring  him  back — and 
fell  on  his  neck  and  kissed  him  ;  the  father  was  not 
deterred  by  the  prodigal's  ragged,  filthy  and  mean  con- 
dition ;  he  embraced  him  ;  for  the  father  heart  yearned 
for  his  son,  though  clothed  in  rags.  He  can  wash  and 
clothe  him  and  make  him  yet  appear  as  he  should  in  the 
father's  house.  Here  was  already  proof  that  the  father 
forgave  the  prodigal. 

21-24.  And  tlie  son  said  unto  him,  Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven, 
and  in  thy  sight :  I  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son.  But  the  father 
said  to  his  servants,  Bring  forth  quickly  the  best  robe,  and  put  it  on  him  ; 
and  put  a  ring  on  his  hand,  and  shoes  on  his  feet:  and  bring  the  fatted 
calf,  and  kill  it,  and  let  us  eat,  and  make  merry  :  for  this  my  son  was  dead, 
and  is  alive  again  ;  he  was  lost,  and  is  found.     And  they  began  to  be  merry. 

21-24.  But  still  he  makes  his  confession,  as  he  had 
purposed.     But  before  he  finished   it,  the  father  inter- 


XV.  21-25-]  CHAPTER  XV.  293 

rupted  him  with  orders  to  the  servants,  Bring  forth 
quickly  (God  delays  not  to  clothe  the  unclothed  sinner) 
the  best  robe  (the  Saviour's  righteousness,  "  fine  linen, 
white  and  clean  ")  and  put  it  on  him  (on  the  repentant 
sinner  returned);  and  put  a  ring  on  his  hand,  and  shoes 
on  his  feet,  making  him  appear  as  a  son,  not  a  hired 
servant.  Restore  him,  re-instal  him  in  his  father's  house. 
And  bring  the  fatted  calf — kept  in  store  against  a  great 
occasion — and  kill  it,  and  let  us  eat  and  make  merry. 
Let  the  whole  house  rejoice ;  for  the  lost  that  is  found 
now  is  this  my  son.  He  was  dead — "  dead  in  trespasses 
and  in  sins"  (Eph.  ii.  i) — and  is  alive  again — "passed 
from  death  unto  life"  (John  v.  24),  "quickened  together 
with  him  "  (Col.  ii.  13). 

Suppose  this  prodigal  had  said  he  did  not  believe  all 
that  was  going  on,  that,  because  he  did  not  deserve  all 
this  love  and  forgiveness,  it  was  only  words  and  a  form  ! 
You  say  this  is  not  supposable.  But  when,  after  con- 
fessing our  sins  unto  the  Lord,  His  ambassador  says, 
"Almighty  God,  our  heavenly  Father,  hath  had  mercy 
upon  us,  and  hath  given  His  only  Son  to  die  for  us,  and 
for  His  sake  forgiveth  us  all  our  sins,"  some  call  it 
"  formalism  "  and  will  not  suffer  this  Declaration  of  Grace 
to  be  spoken  or  received  as  true  !  "  But  there  is  forgive- 
ness with  thee,  that  thou  mayest  be  feared"  (Ps. cxxx. 4). 

25-28.  Now  his  elder  son  was  in  the  field  :  and  as  he  came  and  drew  nigh 
to  the  house,  he  heard  music  and  dancing.  And  he  called  to  him  one  of  the 
servants,  and  inquired  what  these  things  might  be.  And  he  said  unto  him, 
Thy  brother  is  come ;  and  thy  father  hatli  killed  the  fatted  calf,  because  he 
hath  received  him  safe  and  sound.  But  he  was  angry,  and  would  not  go 
in :  and  his  father  came  out,  and  intreated   him. 

25.  The  parable  began  with  "two  sons."  Having 
traced  the  course  of  the  younger,  it  now  recurs  to  the 
elder  son.     He  was   in  the  field,  industriously  engaged 


294  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [x v.  25-29. 

upon  the  farm.  (See  on  ver.  29.)  Coming  back  to  the 
house  toward  the  close  of  the  day,  his  ear  was  attracted 
by  the  festivities  of  an  entertainment  going  on  there. 
Nor  was  he  drawn  to  them ;  he  seemed  to  himself  an 
outsider  and  at  once  felt  piqued  at  the  situation. 

26,  27.  Feeling  so  he  did  not  go  right  in  but  called  one 
of  the  servants,  and  inquired  what  was  going  on,  who  in 
his  way  reported  the  facts,  observing  chiefly  the  salient 
external  points — brother  come — safe  and  sound,  in  good 
health,  well — fatted  calf  killed,  centralizing  the  festive 
joy.  The  effect  of  this  information  was  to  inflame  the 
glowering  spirit  already  taking  hold  of  him. 

28.  He  was  angry.  Thoughts  of  self  were  uppermost, 
wounded  pride,  envy,  jealousy,  recollections  of  what  that 
brother  had  done  and  was  supposed  to  have  done.  He 
would  not  go  in.  Outside  in  all  the  arrangements  and 
exercises  so  far  held,  unconsulted,  disapproving  what  had 
been  done  and  was  doing,  he  would  remain  an  outsider. 
With  loving  heart  his  father  then  came  out  and  entreated 
him,  exhorted,  urged  him  to  come  in  and  be  one  among 
the  rejoicing  family. 

29-30.  But  he  answered  and  said  to  his  father,  Lo,  these  many  years  do 
I  serve  tlree,  and  I  never  transgressed  a  commandment  of  thine  :  and_yt'/ 
thou  never  gavest  me  a  kid,  that  I  might  make  merry  with  my  friends  : 
but  when  this  thy  son  came,  which  liatli  devoured  thy  Uving  with  harlots, 
thou  killedst  for  him  the  fatted  calf. 

29.  He  plead  many  years  of  faithful  service.  Like 
the  young  ruler  who  claimed  of  the  law,  "  All  these  things 
have  I  observed  from  my  youth  up  "  (xviii.  2i),  this  elder 
son  said,  I  never  transgressed  a  commandment  of  thine. 

And  now,  especially  by  contrast  with  his  brother's  course, 
he  values  his  services,  thinks  of  reward  for  his  proper, 
obedient  life.  His  spirit  was  very  different  from  that 
inculcated  by  the  Lord  (Luke  xvii.  10),  "  Even  so  ye  also 


XV.  29-31.]  CHAPTER  XV.  295 

when  ye  shall  have  done  all  the  things  that  are  com- 
manded you,  say,  We  are  unprofitable  servants  ;  we  have 
done  that  which  it  was  our  duty  to  do."  To  me.  '*  The 
ifioi  placed  first  [not  shown  in  the  translation]  has  the 
emphasis  of  wounded  selfish  feeling"  (Meyer).  Thou 
never  gavest  a  kid,  the  smallest  thing,  for  a  merry- 
making with  my  friends.  "  The  servile  tone  pervades 
the  elder  brother's  words  throughout,  and  in  this  he  was 
a  faithful  picture  of  the  Pharisees,  whose  religion  was 
essentially  legal  and  servile  in  spirit  "  (Bruce).  "  He 
is  looking  for  certain  definite  rewards  for  his  obedience, 
to  the  getting  something />-(?;//  God,  instead  of  possessing 
all  things  in  God  "  (Trench). 

30.  But — the  contrast — when  this  thy  son,  etc.  He 
is  too  angry  to  call  him  brother :  he  says  hard  things 
about  him,  putting  the  worst  phase  upon  the  case.  "  For 
thinking  of  these  [moral  deliquencies  of  his  brother]  he 
was  not  to  be  blamed  ;  his  fault  lay  here,  that  he  was 
readier  to  think  of  the  sin  than  of  the  repentance,  which 
in  the  judgment  of  charity  might  be  presumed  to  have 
been  the  motive  impelling  the  prodigal  to  return.  This 
was  the  fault  of  the  Pharisees,  of  whom  he  is  the  type. 
They  thought  only  of  the  vices  of  the  class  whom  Jesus 
loved,  never  of  their  repentance,  and  hence  their  inability 
to  comprehend  the  motives,  and  to  sympathize  with  the 
feelings,  of  Jesus.  It  was  a  fault  due  immediately  to  the 
want  of  a  hopeful  spirit  in  reference  to  the  moral  refor- 
mation of  the  degraded  members  of  society  "  (Bruce). 

31,  32.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Son,  thou  art  ever  with  me,  and  all  that  is 
mine  is  thine.  But  it  was  meet  to  make  merry  and  be  glad :  for  this  thy 
brother  was  dead,  and  is  alive  again  ;  and  was  lost,  and  is  found. 

31.  Son.  The  original  is  a  very  kindly  word.  The 
same  love  speaks  here  that  before  greeted  the  returning 


296  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xv.  31. 

prodigal.  Thou  is  emphatic.  Ever  with  me,  a  constant 
source  of  joy  and  comfort,  a  perennial  blessing  like  an 
ever  flowing  river.  Such  are  obedient  loving  children  all 
their  days  in  the  home — however  the  Pharisees  did  not 
measure  up  to  this  standard.  And  all  that  is  mine — kid, 
fatted  calf,  everything— is  thine.  It  was  his  patrimony 
which  he  was  enjoying  with  his  father,  and  not  separated 
from  him — and  why  should  he  now  separate  himself,  and 
even  exhibit  a  similar  spirit  to  that  which  took  the 
younger  son  away?  But  it  was  meet — the  father  takes 
not  back  what  he  had  done,  nor  makes  apolog}^  but  de- 
fends its  entire  propriety — to  make  merry  and  be  glad 
when  the  lost  was  found  ;  this  time  not  a  lost  sheep,  or  a 
lost  coin,  but  a  lost  son !     (See  on  ver.  24.) 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

I,  2.  And  he  said  also  unto  the  disciples,  There  was  a  certain  rich  man, 
which  had  a  steward ;  and  the  same  was  accused  unto  him  that  he  was 
wasting  his  goods.  And  he  called  him,  and  said  unto  him.  What  is  this 
that  I  hear  of  thee  ?  render  the  account  of  thy  stewardship  ;  for  thou  canst 
be  no  longer  steward. 

1.  The  preceding  chapter  was  spoken  to  the  murmur- 
ing Pharisees  and  Scribes,  in  the  presence  of  the  publicans 
and  sinners.  Now  in  the  same  presence  He  spake  also 
unto  the  disciples,  not  merely  the  Twelve,  among  whom, 
no  doubt,  were  "publicans  and  sinners."  His  teaching 
was  by  a  parable  that  centred  about  a  steward  who  had 
charge  of  the  affairs  of  a  certain  rich  man.  Many  and 
very  diverse  have  been  the  interpretations  put  upon  this 
rich  man.  As  he  is  only  incidental  to  the  teaching,  we 
need  not  identify  him  any  further  than  the  record  does. 
The  charge  was  made  to  him  against  his  steward  that  he 
was  wasting  his  goods.  The  same  word  is  used  here 
that  was  used  in  xv.  13  of  the  younger  son's  wasting  his 
substance.  Evidently  there  was  a  plenty  that  passed 
through  the  steward's  hands  and  came  under  his  over- 
sight ;  for  he  was  a  rich  man's  steward.   (See  also  vers.  5-7.) 

2.  The  man  believed  the  report  that  came  to  him  :  the 
evidence,  not  given  here,  seems  to  have  been  convincing. 
Summoning  the  accused  he  said,  What  is  this  that  I  hear 
of  thee  ?  Nor  does  he  ask  or  give  opportunity  for  ex- 
planation and  defence.  His  mind  is  made  up,  and  he 
abruptly  bids  the    other  to  render   the   account    of   his 

297 


298  THE  GOSPEL   OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xvi.  2-4. 

stewardship,  settle  up.  For  thou  canst  be  no  ionger 
steward.  The  man  has  lost  his  credit  and  his  office  at 
once.  He  is  brought  up  at  a  short  turn.  Sudden  and 
decisive  is  the  call.  So  death  comes  and  calls  us  to 
account  and  closes  our  stewardship.     (Comp.  ver.  9.) 

3,  4.  And  the  steward  said  within  himself,  What  shall  I  do,  seeing  that 
my  lord  taketh  away  the  stewardship  from  me  ?  I  have  not  strength  to 
dig;  to  beg  I  am  ashamed.  I  am  resolved  what  to  do,  that,  when  I  am  put 
out  of  the  stewardship,  they  may  receive  me  into  their  houses. 

3.  The  steward,  thus  put  to,  held  a  colloquy  with  him- 
self. What  shall  I  do?  That  he  did  not  think  to  deny 
the  charge  and  attempt  to  prove  fidelity  to  his  trust  seems 
to  show  that  he  was  self-condemned,  as  guilty  in  his  own 
consciousness  as  his  employer  took  him  to  be.  It  was  an 
assured  thing  that  he  was  going  to  lose  the  stewardship. 
What  was  he  to  do  ?  I  have  not  strength  to  dig  and  live 
by  my  own  exertions ;  to  beg — the  other  alternative — I 
am  ashamed.  And  here  we  have  a  man  in  great  straits, 
pushed  to  the  wall. 

4.  But  he  was  a  man  of  resources,  and  bethought  him 
of  some  other  way  out  of  his  embarrassment  than  the 
alternatives  just  giv^en.  At  last  he  hit  upon  a  plan,  and 
shrewdly  resolved  what  to  do.  The  motive  was  self-in- 
terest :  the  end  that  they,  with  whom  I  have  hitherto 
stood  in  the  relation  of  steward  of  a  vast  property,  may 
receive  me  as  a  welcome  inmate  into  their  houses.  He 
proposed  to  ingratiate  himself  with  his  hitherto  clients 
and  make  them  his  fast  friends.  He  will  do  them  such 
a  turn  that  they  will  not  let  him  suffer  when  he  is  put  out 
of  the  stewardship.  He  will  play  a  sharp  game,  a  wily 
politician  seeking  his  own  ends.  Accused  of  wasting  his 
lord's  goods,  and  conscious  that  he  has  done  so,  why 
should  he  not  sfo  on  further  in  the  same  direction  ? 


XVI.  5,  6.]  CHAPTER  XVI.  299 

5-7.  And  calling  to  him  each  one  of  his  lord's  debtors,  he  said  to  the 
first,  How  much  owest  thou  unto  my  lord  ?  And  he  said,  A  hundred  meas- 
ures of  oil.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Take  thy  bond,  and  sit  down  quickly 
and  write  fifty.  Then  said  he  to  another,  And  how  much  owest  thou .'' 
And  he  said,  A  hundred  measures  of  wheat.  He  saith  unto  him,  Take  thy 
bond,  and  write  fourscore. 

5.  So  the  steward  summoned  his  lord's  debtors,  and 

had  an  interview  with,  and  made  a  proposition  to,  each 
one.  "  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  he  is  still  steward, 
and,  as  such,  has  full  power  of  disposing  of  his  master's 
affairs.  When,  therefore,  he  sends  for  one  after  another 
of  his  master's  debtors,  and  tells  each  one  to  alter  the 
sum  in  the  bond,  he  does  not  suggest  to  them  forgery  or 
fraud,  but,  in  remitting  part  of  the  debt — whether  it  had 
been  incurred  as  rent  in  kind,  or  as  the  price  of  produce 
purchased — he  acts,  although  unrighteously,  yet  strictly 
within  his  rights.  Thus,  neither  the  steward  nor  the 
debtors  could  be  charged  with  criminality,  and  the  master 
must  have  been  struck  with  the  cleverness  of  a  man  who 
had  thus  secured  a  future  provision  by  making  friends,  so 
long  as  he  had  the  means  of  so  doing  (ere  his  Mammon 
of  unrighteousness  failed)  "  (Edersheim).  How  much 
owest  thou  ?  Each  one  naturally  would  have  a  deep 
impression  of  his  indebtedness.  The  colloquy  was  prob- 
ably intended  to  impress  each  one  also  with  the  steward's 
personal  kindness  in  his  case. 

6.  A  hundred  measures  [baths]  of  oil.  Payment  was 
to  be  made  in  produce.  A  "bath"  amounted,  by  Gali- 
lean measurement,  to  about  39  litres  or  41  quarts.  The 
value  of  one  hundred  of  these  was  probably  about  50 
dollars.  Take  thy  bond — it  was  probably  inscribed  on 
wax  or  possibly  on  parchment,  signed  by  the  debtor,  and 
in  the  steward's  keeping — and  quickly  (there  was  no  time 
to  be  lost,  as  the  steward's  power  would  soon  be  gone,) 
write  fifty,  change  the  amount  by  one-half. 


300  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xvi.  7,  8. 

7.  Another  reported  his  indebtedness  at  a  hundred 
measures  [cors]  of  wheat.  A  "  cor  "  was,  by  measure, 
ten  times  the  amount  of  a  '*  bath  "  ;  and  the  amount  of 
the  debt  would  probably  be  from  500  to  600  dollars. 
The  reduction  to  fourscore  would  relieve  this  debtor  of 
about  100  to  125  dollars.  These  two  instances  are  only 
illustrations  of  the  steward's  method  with  the  whole 
number,  treating  each  as  he  thought  best. 

8.  And  his  lord  commended  the  unrighteous  steward  because  he  had 
done  wisely :  for  the  sons  of  this  world  are  for  their  own  generation  wiser 
than  the  sons  of  the  light. 

8.  And  his  lord,  that  is,  the  lord  of  the  steward  who 
was  the  central  figure  of  the  parable,  commended  him, 
despite  his  unrighteous  character  and  acts,  because  he 
had  done  wisely,  had  been  smart  in  looking  after  his 
own  interests.  That  is  the  way  with  the  sons  of  this 
world,  this  world's  people,  the  worldly,  whose  portion  is 
in  this  life  (Ps.  xvii.  14)  ;  they  look  out  each  for  himself, 
take  care  of  their  individual  interests,  and  applaud  them- 
selves and  one  another  for  so  doing.  They  are  for  their 
own  generation,  their  kind,  in  their  own  way  and  for 
their  own  ends,  which  are  selfish  and  often  dishonest, 
wiser,  more  prudent,  sharper,  smarter,  than  the  sons  of 
light,  children  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  Christians,  who 
do  not  and  dare  not  act  like  the  unjust  steward  because 
they  are  people  of  character,  of  righteousness,  actuated 
by  principle,  fearing  and  loving  God  above  all  and  loving 
their  neighbors  as  themselves,  and  consequently  not  given 
to  taking  smart  advantage  of  their  fellows  or  seeking 
their  own  however  they  can,  be  it  honestly  or  dishonestly. 
"  The  children  of  light  can  pursue  only  holy  purposes 
with  moral  means,  and  consequently  (as  sons  of  ivisdoiti) 
must  necessarily  fall  behind  in  the  \NOx\^\y  prudence,  in 
which  morality  is  of  no  account  "  (Meyer).     "  We  see 


XVI.  8,  9-]  CHAPTER  XVI.  301 

it  daily  witli  our  eyes,  alas,  more  than  is  good,  how  the 
world  is  so  very  careful  how  to  obtain  a  profit,  and 
grudges  no  pains  or  labor,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  we 
see  the  children  of  light,  i.  e.  Christians,  lazy,  unwilling, 
inadvertent  and  negligent  in  God's  affairs,  although  they 
know  that  God  has  pleasure  therein  and  that  they  will 
enjoy  them  in  eternity  "  (Luther). 

9.  And  I  say  unto  you,  Make  to  yourselves  friends  by  means  of  the 
mammon  of  unrighteousness ;  that,  when  it  shall  fail,  they  may  receive  you 
into  the  eternal  tabernacles. 

9.  And  I,  your  Lord,  say  unto  you,  in  application  of 
the  parable  just  spoken.  There  is  evident  contrast  here 
between  what  the  steward's  lord  said  of  him  and  his 
smartness,  and  what  the  Lord  Jesus  says  to  His  disciples: 
there  is  also  likeness,  from  the  parable,  in  commending 
to  Christians  an  equal,  yea  greater,  and  yet  righteous, 
quickness,  shrewdness,  wisdom.  The  Lord  here  teaches 
the  true  use  of  worldly  riches,  which  He  calls  the  mam= 
mon  of  unrighteousness.  "  Mammon  "  is  derived  from 
a  Syriac  and  Rabbinic  word  and  is  a  term  applied  to 
riches,  and  is  sometimes  personified,  as  in  ver.  13,  as  the 
god  of  this  world.  Called  the  mammon  of  unrighteous- 
ness because  it  is  the  god  whom  the  unrighteous  worship 
(Robertson).  "  As  at  ver.  8  this  predicate  [of  unright- 
eousness, comp.  the  unrighteous  mammon,  ver.  1 1  below] 
is  attached  to  the  .y/^war^/ because  he  had  acted  unright- 
eously towards  his  lord,  so  here  it  is  attached  to  zvealtJi, 
because  it,  as  in  the  case  of  that  steward,  serves,  accord- 
ing to  usual  experience  (comp.  xviii.  24  f.),  as  an  instru- 
ment of  nnrigliteous  dealing.  The  moral  characteristic  of 
the  2ise  of  it  is  represented  as  adhering  to  itself" 
(Meyer).  Jesus  bids  His  disciples  make  a  right  use  of 
it.  With  it,  by  means  of  it,  from  the  power  and  influ- 
ence it  gives  you,  make  to  yourselves  friends.     How  ? 


302  THE  GOSPEL   OE  ST.  LUKE.  [xvi.  9. 

By  doing  good  and  communicating  (i  Tim.  vi.  18;  Heb. 
xiii.  16),  ministering  in  love  to  the  needy.  "  He  hath 
dispersed,  he  hath  given  to  the  needy  ;  his  righteousness 
endureth  forever:  his  horn  shall  be  exalted  with  honor" 
(Ps.  cxii.  9;  comp.  2  Cor.  ix.  6-15).  "  He  that  hath  pity 
upon  the  poor  lendeth  unto  the  Lord,  and  his  good  deed 
will  he  pay  him  again  "  (Prov.  xix.  17).  Put  out  your 
money  where  it  will  make  you  friends — not  merely 
temporary  and  temporal  ones,  but  such  as  will  receive 
you  into  the  eternal  tabernacles  when  for  you  the 
earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  shall  be  dissolved.  This 
receiving  is  not  an  act  of  authority,  as  though  "  friends  " 
had  a  right  to  admit  into  the  eternal  mansions,  but  a 
welcoming  act.  The  authority  is  vested  in  the  Son  of 
man,  who,  in  the  judgment  scene  in  Matt.  xxv.  31-46,  is 
represented  as  recounting  the  deeds  done  in  making 
friends  with  worldly  goods  and  saying,  "  Inasmuch  as  ye 
did  it  unto  one  of  these  my  brethren,  even  these  least, 
ye  did  it  unto  me."  And  neither  in  this  place  nor  in 
that  are  these  deeds  represented  as  a  meritorious  ground 
of  heavenly  inheritance,  but  as  illustrations  of  character 
marked  by  faith  and  love.  What  a  simple  and  effective 
recipe  here  for  finding  many  friends  in  the  eternal  world  ! 
Moreover  we  are  not  restricted  to  a  personal  distribu- 
tion of  earthly  riches,  but  may  reach  many  through 
the  Church's  operations  in  Missions,  Church  Extension, 
Education,  Homes  for  Orphans  and  the  Aged,  Deacon- 
ess' Homes  and  the  like.  The  avenues  whereby  "  the 
unrighteous  mammon  "  may  reach  those  who  are  to  be 
made  "  friends  "  are  many.  Use  them  well,  and  what 
a  reception  will  be  yours  in  the  eternal  world  ! 

10-12.  He  that  is  faithful  in  a  very  little  is  faithful  also  in  much  :  and  he 
that  is  unrighteous  in  a  very  little  is  unrighteous  also  in  much.  If  there- 
fore ye  have  not  been  faithful  in  the  unrighteous  mammon,  who  will  com- 


XVI.  10-12.]  CHAPTER  XVI. 


303 


mit  to  your  trust  the  true  riches  ?     And  if  ye  have  not  been  faithful  in  that 
which  is  another's,  who  will  give  you  that  which  is  your  own  ? 

10.  Clearly  the  Lord  does  not  approve  of  anything 
like  unfaithfulness,  even  though  He  used  an  unfaithful 
steward's  thoughtfulness  for  himself  as  a  stimulus  to  a 
sensible,  provident  use  of  temporal  riches  on  the  part  of 
His  disciples.  Ver.  10  is  of  the  nature  of  a  proverb. 
One  who  is  faithful  is  so  in  all  things,  it  is  an  all-around 
characteristic  :  and  its  existence  in  any  one  with  refer- 
ence to  what  is  very  little  argues  that  it  will  be  found 
in  that  one  where  much  is  concerned.  This  statement 
stands  as  a  major  premise  to  a  syllogism  which  is  con- 
cluded in  the  next  two  verses. 

11,  12.  The  connection  is  therefore,  and  the  case  is 
supposed.  The  unrighteous  mammon  (on  which  see 
ver.  9,  above,  and  comments)  is  contrasted  with  the  true 
riches,  the  durable  riches  and  righteousness  (Prov.  viii. 
18),  the  heavenly  inheritance :  the  former  is  called  an= 
other's — worldly  riches,  contrary  to  common  opinion, 
does  not  properly  belong  to  those  who  hold  it  here,  they 
are  only  stezvards  of  it — the  latter  is  called  your  own, 
for  it  is  an  everlasting  inheritance,  a  possession  forever  : 
the  former  every  one  must  part  with,  it  is  but  temporary, 
a  loan  to  be  administered  and  accounted  for  (comp.  the 
parable  of  the  pounds,  ch.  xix.) ;  the  latter  is  the  gift  of 
God  (Rom.  v.  15-18  ;  vi.  23  ;  Eph.  iv.  18),  which  no  one 
taketh  away  (John  xvi.  22),  and  from  which  nothing  can 
separate  us  (Rom.  viii.  35-39).  And  the  argument  is 
from  the  less  to  the  greater  ;  if  you  fail  to  administer 
faithfully  and  righteously,  as  set  forth  above,  the  com- 
mon, the  earthly,  the  temporal,  worldly  wealth,  be  it 
much  or  little,  this  proves  you  unfitted  for  the  heavenly, 
which,  in  that  case,  must  not  be  expected !  This 
bore  hard  on   the  covetous,  mammon-worshipping  Phari- 


304  I^HE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xvi.  12-14. 

sees  who  were  listening,  and  it  was  a  very  practical 
lesson,  easily  understood  by  them,  for  the  publicans  in 
and  out  of  the  circle  of  disciples  :  and  it  is  equally  in- 
structive and  warning  to  those  now  who  count  the  riches 
they  have  as  their  own  and  forget  and  neglect  their 
stewardship. 

13.  No  servant  can  serve  two  masters  :  for  either  he  will  hate  the  one, 
and  love  the  other ;  or  else  he  will  hold  to  one,  and  despise  the  other.  Ye 
cannot  serve  God  and  mammon. 

1 3.  See  on  Matt.  vi.  24,  where  the  same  words  are  found. 
The  only  variation  here  is  the  addition  of  the  word 
servant.  Though  many  try  to  do  what  is  here  set  forth, 
the  Lord  Himself  has  thus  twice  declared  it  to  be  im- 
possible. To  the  questioning  scribe  (Mark  xii.  28,  29) 
Jesus  laid  down  as  the  fundamental  principle  of  the 
religion  of  Israel,  the  true  religion,  "  Hear,  O  Israel ;  the 
Lord  our  God,  the  Lord  is  one:  and  thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,"  etc.,  and  hence  "none 
other  gods  before  me  "  is  the  first  requirement  of  the 
law.  "  One  is  your  Master,  even  the  Christ  "  (Matt, 
xxiii.  10).  Hence  He  is  to  be  "  all  and  in  all  "  (Col.  iii.  1 1). 
Administer  your  worldly  goods  in  His  name  and  to  His 
praise. 

14.  And  the  Pharisees,  who  were  lovers  of  money,  heard  all  these  things ; 
and  they  scoffed  at  him. 

14.  Though  the  preceding  verses  of  this  chapter  were 
spoken  directly  to  the  disciples  (ver.  0,  the  Pharisees, 
and  others  (xv.  i,  2),  were  present,  and  heard  all,  and 
found  Jesus'  words  applicable  to  themselves.  They  were 
lovers  of  money,  genuine  specimens  of  mammon-worship- 
pers, who,  therefore,  according  to  the  Lord's  teaching, 
were  not  and  could  not  be,  without  a  change,  true  serv- 
ants of  God.     Before  (xv.  2)  they  murmured,  but  now 


XVI.  14,  15-]  CHAPTER  XVI.  305 

they  scoffed  at  him.  The  word  signifies  to  turn  up  the 
nose  in  derision.  Catch  them  taking  His  instructions 
about  the  use  of  riches  !  They  counted  their  money 
their  own  (see  on  ver.  12)  and  did  not  propose  to  mix 
business  and  religion  ! 

15.  And  he  said  unto  them,  Ye  are  they  that  justify  yourselves  in  the 
sight  of  men ;  but  God  knoweth  your  hearts :  for  that  which  is  exalted 
among  men  is  an  abomination  in  tlie  sight  of  God. 

15.  Now  Jesus  spake  unto  them  directly  again,  and 
on  through  the  parable  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus. 
Their  scoffs  and  sneers  invited  this  address.  Ye  (em- 
phatic) .  .  .  justify  yourselves  (comp.  x.  29;  xviii.  11), 
a  natural  predilection  of  the  natural  man,  in  the  sight  of 
men,  who  can  see  only  the  outside,  the  apparent.  There 
you  may  succeed  :  but  God  knoweth  your  hearts,  your 
real  selves;  and  it  is  something  different  to  be  justified 
in  His  sight.  (See  Ps.  vii.  10;  i  Kings  viii.  39.)  The 
searcher  of  hearts  is  not  taken  up  with  the  appearance, 
but  gets  at  the  inner  essence,  the  true  and  real  character, 
and  so  His  judgment  is  apt  to,  and  does,  differ  from 
man's.  For  that  which  is  exalted,  counted  high  and 
great,  among  men,  is  differently  estimated  in  the  sight 
of  God,  and  is  even  counted  an  abomination,  a  detesta- 
ble thing.  (Comp.  Prov.  vi.  16-19;  xxix.  23.)  "And 
thus  appears  the  loftiest  human  virtue  and  *  righteous- 
ness '  to  be  no  more  than  a  wicked  pride  of  heart  " 
(Stier).  God  is  the  unerring  judge.  Before  Him 
Pharisees  have  a  poor  prospect. 

16-18.  The  law  and  the  prophets  7wr^  until  John  :  from  that  time  the 
gospel  of  the  kingdom  of  God  is  preached,  and  every  man  entereth  violently 
into  it.  But  it  is  easier  for  heaven  and  earth  to  pass  away,  than  for  one 
tittle  of  the  law  to  fall.  Everyone  that  putteth  away  his  wife,  and  marrieth 
another,  committeth  adultery :  and  he  that  marrieth  one  that  is  put  away 
from  a  husband  committeth  adultery. 
20 


3o6  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xv.  16-18. 

16.  Comp.  Matt.  xi.  12,  13,  and  comments. 

God's  successive  dispensations  towards  men,  repre- 
sented in  His  people  Israel,  are  here  cited  historically. 
The  law,  the  prophets,  both  of  which  the  Pharisees  pro- 
fessed to  reverence,  but  both  of  which  they  practically 
so  abused  and  disregarded — these  the  preparation  for 
John,  and  John  for  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  :  but  the  Pharisees  did  not  receive  John, 
they  refused  to  come  to  repentance  (Matt.  iii.  7-9  ;  Luke 
XX.  4-6),  and  now  with  respect  to  the  kingdom  of  God, 
preached  as  at  hand  by  both  John  and  Jesus,  every  man 
of  them  entereth  violently  into  it,  that  is,  acteth  violently 
towards  it,  opposes  it.  This  is  one  way  of  understand- 
ing the  original  £19  coTr^v  ISid!^eTai.  The  last  word  may 
have  a  friendly  sense,  as  our  English  translators  of  both 
161 1  and  1881  seem  to  have  taken  it,  or  an  unfriendly 
sense,  as  we  have  explained  it  above.  Those  who  follow 
the  plain  tenor  of  the  English  version  understand  by  the 
expression  the  urgent  pressing  into  the  kingdom  of  God  : 
but  we  have  to  ask  where  in  those  days  this  was  ex- 
hibited. 

17.  But,  though  the  Pharisees  had  practically  done 
away  with  the  law,  while  with  their  lips  they  magnified 
it  and  even  charged  the  Lord  with  not  regarding  it,  the 
gospel  did  not  and  does  not  annul  the  law:  the  law  is 
more  stable  than  heaven  and  earth.  These  may  and 
will  pass  away,  having  accomplished  their  purpose  :  and 
this  grand  catastrophe  is  easier  to  think  of  and  to  be 
accomplished  than  for  one  tittle,  the  minutest  part,  of  the 
law  to  fall  to  the  ground  void.  The  law  is  a  transcript 
of  the  divine  perfections,  and  is  for  ever.  Christ  came 
not  to  destroy  but  to  fulfil.  (Comp.  Matt.  v.  17-20; 
Rom.  iii.  19-31.) 

18.  Then  the  Lord  illustrated  the  abidine  nature  of  the 


XVI.  iS-iQ.]  CHAPTER  XVI.  307 

law  in  a  point  where  the  Pharisees  notoriously  trans- 
gressed it.  Jesus  taught  them  who  readily  put  away  the 
marriage  tie  that  they  could  not  thus  put  away  the 
binding  force  of  the  law.  (See  on  Matt.  v.  31,  32; 
xix.  9.) 

19.  Now  there  was  a  certain  rich  man,  and  he  was  clothed  in  purple  and 
fine  linen,  faring  sumptuously  every  day  : 

This  narrative  we  take  to  be  a  representative,  with- 
out being  a  historical,  setting  forth  of  what  substantially 
has  occurred  and  will  occur  again  and  again.  The  form 
of  it  makes  its  teachings  none  the  less  real,  but  rather  sets 
them  forth  as  belonging  to  the  abiding  nature  of  things. 
The  parable — as  we  may  call  it,  for  want  of  a  better 
name — was  part  of  the  same  general  discourse  found  in 
this  chapter.  It  is  addressed  to  the  covetous,  deriding 
Pharisees,  who  justified  themselves  before  men  (vers. 
14,  15),  handling  the  word  of  God  deceitfully,  occupying 
the  first  positions  among  the  Jews  while  they  were  un- 
sound in  doctrine  and  life,  and  in  their  self-complacency 
despised  the  poor.  As  "  that  which  is  exalted  among 
men  is  an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God,"  who  knows 
the  heart,  so  the  hereafter  may  prove  quite  a  reversal  of 
the  estimation  and  position  accorded  men  here :  and 
this  the  narrative  shows. 

19.  There  was  a  certain  rich  man.  His  riches  gave 
him  respectability  among  men,  and  much  ability  to  do 
good.  Every  man  has  his  talent  or  talents,  and  this  man's 
talent  was  his  riches.  In  ver.  9  of  this  chapter  they  were 
taught  the  right  use  of  riches,  and  in  ver.  13  were  warned 
that  it  is  impossible  to  serve  God  and  mammon.  There 
is  danger,  in  being  rich,  that  we  learn  to  love  and  serve 
wealth,  and  it  become  a  snare  to  our  souls.  Hence  it  is 
with  difficulty  that  a  rich  man  shall  enter  into  the  king- 


3o8  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [vxi.  19-21. 

dom  of  God,     This  man  was  clothed  in   purple  and  fine 

linen,  an  evidence  of  his  opulence.  Purple  was  a  regal 
color  and  very  costly,  made  from  a  rare  shell-fish  found 
near  Tyre.  Linen  was  made  from  the  flax  that  grew 
along  the  Nile,  and  Pliny  tells  of  qualities  of  it,  especially 
white  and  fine,  that  were  sold  for  their  weight  in  gold. 
Faring  sumptuously.  Living  deliciously.  He  had  every- 
thing he  thought  would  minister  to  his  delight.  Nothing 
was  too  much  for  him  to  spend  upon  himself.  His  table 
groaned  with  plenty  and  of  the  best  quality,  delicacies  of 
every  description  ;  his  whole  place  was  magnificent.  And 
he  fared  thus  every  day. 

20,  21.  And  a  certain  beggar  named  Lazarus  was  laid  at  his  gate,  full  of 
sores,  and  desiring  to  be  fed  with  the  crumbs  that  fell  from  the  rich  man's 
table ;  yea,  even  the  dogs  came  and  licked  his  sores. 

20,  21.  \\\  contrast  is  put  a  certain  beggar,  a  man  in 
utter  poverty.  His  name,  Lazarus,  is  used  now  for  the 
whole  class  of  beggars,  called  ''  lazars  "  and  "  lazaroni  " 
in  Europe.  This  name  is  by  some  considered  an  abbrevi- 
ation of  Eleazar,  meaning  "  God  is  help  ;  "  others  make 
it  a  symbolical  name,  meaning  "  helpless,"  "  forsaken." 
This  man  was  laid  at  his  (the  rich  man's)  gate,  put  there 
by  others  who  did  not  want  the  care  of  him,  or  because 
they  thought  he  would  draw  forth  helpful  sympathy  from 
within.  Lying  there,  full  of  sores,  the  consequence  of 
his  poverty-stricken  state,  he  must  have  been  a  pitiable 
object,  seen  by  the  rich  man  every  time  he  went  in  and 
out  of  the  door  of  his  house.  He  would  have  been  glad 
to  get  the  crumbs  (bits)  that  fell  from  the  rich  man's 
table.  There  were  other  candidates  for  these,  too,  in  the 
dogs  that,  as  in  all  Eastern  towns,  run  loose,  without 
masters,  as  city  scavengers.  These  came  and  licked  his 
sores,  probably  with  pleasant  and  healing  effect  on  the 


XVI.  21,  22.]  CHAPTER  XVI.  309 

poor  man ;  yet  this    is  a    further  touch    to  add   to  the 
wretchedness  of  the  scene. 

Here  were  the  extremes  of  Hfe  ;  and  we  are  reminded 
of  Agur's  prayer  to  be  delivered  from  them  both  (Prov. 
XXX.  8,  9).  Nothing  is  said  of  the  moral  character  of 
these  two  persons.  We  are  left  to  infer  this  from  what 
follows.  It  is  very  certain,  as  all  the  Bible  testifies,  that 
external  circumstances,  whether  of  wealth  or  poverty,  do 
not  constitute  character.  It  is  no  sin  to  be  rich  ;  it  is  no 
virtue  to  be  poor.  A  rich  man  may  be  godly,  and  a  poor 
man  ungodly.  In  this  narrative,  however,  it  is  implied 
that  the  rich  man  lived  only  for  himself.  God,  the  Giver 
of  his  possessions,  and  his  obligations  to  Him,  to  be 
manifested  in  proper  conduct  toward  His  creatures,  was 
not  in  all  his  thoughts.  Like  the  rich  fool,  he  called  his 
wealth  his  own,  and  used  it  only  for  himself.  If  the  poor 
beggar  got  some  of  the  dog's  portion  of  offal,  he  got  no 
more.  The  rich  man  did  not  act  the  good  Samaritan 
toward  him,  and  was  without  neighborly  love.  The 
beggar's  character  he  did  not  inquire  into,  and  knew  no 
more  of  it  than  we  would  do  if  it  were  not  for  the  after- 
part  of  this  narrative.  He  did  not  know  that  Christ  was 
lying  hungry  at  his  door  (Matt.  x-xv.  35,  37,  40). 

22,  23.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  the  beggar  died,  and  that  he  was  carried 
away  by  the  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom  :  and  the  rich  man  also  died,  and 
was  buried.  And  in  Hades  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being  in  torments,  and 
seeth  Abraham  afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in  his  bosom. 

22,  23.  One  experience  came  alike  to  both  the  rich  man 
and  the  beggar ;  they  both  died.  Death  is  the  great 
leveller ;  death  is  no  respecter  of  persons  or  places.  The 
rich  man,  we  are  told,  was  buried,  and  it  is  implied  that 
his  funeral  was  as  magnificent  as  his  life  had  been.  The 
beggar's  mortal  remains  were  probably  hustled  out  of 
sight  most  unceremoniously.     "  Rattle  his  bones  over  the 


3IO  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xvi.  22,  23. 

stones,  'tis  only  a  pauper  whom  nobody  owns  !  "  Thus 
the  curtain  fell  on  the  scene  of  this  mortal  life.  Our 
Lord  causes  it  to  rise  upon  the  hereafter. 

Does  death  end  all  ?  Our  lesson  says  not.  It  declares 
that  the  beggar  was  carried  away  by  the  angels  into 
Abraham's  bosom.  Abraham  was  the  father  of  the  faith- 
ful, the  friend  of  God  ;  and  "  Abraham's  bosom  "  was  a 
term  used  by  the  Jews  for  future  happiness  ;  it  meant  the 
same  thing  to  them  that  Paradise  does  to  us.  This  was 
in  the  spirit  world,  and  the  agents  of  his  transfer  were 
the  angels,  of  whom  it  is  said,  Heb.  i.  14,  "  Are  they  not 
all  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to  do  service  for  the 
sake  of  them  that  shall  inherit  salvation  ?  "  So  then  we 
learn  that  Lazarus  was  a  child  of  faith,  and  an  heir  of 
salvation,  though  so  poorly  off  in  this  world's  goods.  The 
rich  man  was  carried  by  the  pall-bearers  to  the  grave, 
magnificently  attended,  and  in  Hades  he  lifted  up  his  eyes 
being  in  torments.  The  word  "hades"  means  the  un- 
seen spirit  world.  It  is  as  old  as  the  Greek  language, 
and  corresponds  to  the  Hebrew  SJicol.  It  occurs  eleven 
times  in  the  New  Testament,  and  is  rendered  "  hell  "  ten 
times,  and  "grave  "  once  (i  Cor.  xv.  55),  in  the  "  Author- 
ized Version."  That  it  does  not  mean  7/^7/ in  the  ordinary 
and  circumscribed  meaning  of  that  word,  is  evident  from 
the  history  of  the  word,  and  especially  from  Rev.  xx.  14, 
which  says,  "  And  death  and  hell  (hades)  were  cast  into 
a  lake  of  fire.  This  is  the  second  death  !  "  We  have  no 
one  word  wherewith  to  express  its  meaning,  and,  perhaps, 
therefore,  it  would  be  as  well  to  incorporate  it  into  our 
language,  as  we  have  done  with  other  words,  and  let  it 
stand—"  hades  " — wherever  it  occurs,  as  the  Revised 
Version  does.  But  that  this  word  does  not  mean  "  hell  " 
in  no  way  goes  to  prove  that  there  is  no  hell.  There  are 
other  words  to  express  that  idea;  and  right  here  we  have 


XVI.  23,  24-]  CHAPTER  XVI.  311 

it  that  the  rich  man  in  hades  was  in  torments.  He  says 
himself,  "  I  am  tormented  in  this  jlanic,''  and  calls  it  "this 
place  of  torment."  The  words  here  rendered  torment 
strongly  represent  all  that  is  conveyed  by  that  word. 
Trench  says,  "As  'Abraham's  bosom'  is  not  heaven, 
so  neither  is  hades  '  hell,'  though  to  issue  in  it  when 
death  and  hades  shall  be  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire, 
which  is  the  proper  hell  (Rev.  xx.  14).  It  is  the  place 
of  painful  restraint,  where  the  souls  of  the  wicked  are 
reserved  to  the  judgment  of  the  great  da)^  ;  it  is  the 
*  deep,'  whither  the  devils  prayed  that  they  might  not  be 
sent  to  be  tormented  before  their  time  (Luke  viii.  31) — 
for,  as  that  other  blessed  place  has  a  foretaste  of  heaven, 
so  has  this  place  a  foretaste  of  hell."  And  seeth  Abra- 
ham. In  all  this  description  the  spirits  are  spoken  of  as 
persons,  and  as  if  in  the  body ;  for  how  else  could  we  talk 
intelligibly  about  them  ?  The  eye,  moreover,  does  not 
see  ;  it  is  only  the  instrument  of  sight.  What  the  disem- 
bodied spirits'  powers  are,  and  how  they  act,  we  do  not 
know.  Afar  off.  Their  characters  had  been  far  apart  in 
this  world,  and  now  themselves  are  at  a  great  remove  in 
the  world  of  spirits.  But  Lazarus  was  in  Abraham's 
bosom,  and  recognized  there.  We  cannot  measure  the 
times  and  spaces  of  the  unseen  world. 

24.  And  he  cried  and  said,  Father  Abraham,  have  mercy  on  me,  and 
send  Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water,  and  cool  my 
tongue  ;  for  I  am  in  anguish  in  this  flame. 

24.  And  he  cried.  Jacobus  remarks  that  "  this  is  the 
only  instance  in  Scripture  of  praying  to  saints."  Looking 
at  all  the  circumstances  of  it,  it  is  not  very  encouraging 
to  that  idea.  Father  Abraham.  He  still  hopes  some- 
thing from  his  earthly  descent  as  an  Israelite.  Have 
mercy  on  me.  A  cry  that  would  have  suited  his  condi- 
tion, and  found  answers  of  peace,  if  made  in  time  ?    Send 


212  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xvi.  24,  25. 

Lazarus.  "  It  is  noticeable  that  he  still  imagines  himself 
able  to  direct  Lazarus,  whom  he  had  all  his  life  lightly 
esteemed.  Even  so  does  he  afterwards  despise  Moses 
also  (ver.  30).  Only  his  external  condition,  what  sur- 
rounds him,  is  altered,  but  not  his  individuality  "  (Van 
OOST.).  That  he  may  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water. 
How  small  a  request !  Lazarus  had  once  wanted  crumbs 
from  him.  Cool  my  tongue.  The  tongue  that  has  tasted 
so  many  delights  now  craves  a  drop  of  water.  "  This 
hints,"  one  says,  "  at  the  close  connection  between  sin 
and  its  punishment."  In  anguish  in  this  flame.  A 
garment  of  fire  instead  of  the  purple  and  fine  linen  ! 
"  Not  subjective  (that  is,  confined  to  his  own  feeling) 
only,"  says  Alford,  "  though  perhaps  mainly.  But  where 
lies  the  limit  between  inner  and  outer,  to  the  disem- 
bodied. Hardened  sinners  have  died  crying,  'Fire!' 
Did  the  fire  leave  them  when  they  left  their  bodies  ? " 
But  it  is  to  no  profit  to  discuss  whether  or  not  there  is 
material  fire  in  the  world  to  come;  enough  that  there  is 
unmitigated  anguish. 

25.  But  Abraham  said,  Son,  remember  that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  receivedst 
thy  good  things,  and  Lazarus  in  like  manner  evil  things  :  but  now  here  he 
is  comforted,  and  thou  art  in  anguish. 

25.  Son.  Abraham  speaks  kindly  and  acknowledges 
the  external  relationship.  That  relationship,  however, 
was  really  an  aggravation  of  the  rich  man's  guilt.  Re- 
member. Memory  survives  death,  and  may  live  to 
torment  us.  Now  the  word  is,  "  Remember  thy  Creator 
in  the  days  of  thy  youth  ;  "  "  Remember  the  Sabbath 
day  to  keep  it  holy  ;  "  "  Remember  the  words  of  the  Lord 
Jesus:" — then  it  will  be  the  unsaved  one's  lot  to  re- 
member an  irreparable  past.  Thou  in  thy  lifetime 
receivedst  thy  good  things.  The  things  thou  didst 
choose,  as  indicated  by  "  thy."     The  rich  man  made  his 


xvr.  25-28.]  CHAPTER  XVI.  313 

portion  in  this  life,  and  had  it,  got  what  he  craved. 
"  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  they  have  their  reward"  said 
Jesus  of  the  Pharisees.  And  Lazarus  in  like  manner  evil 
things.  Not  "  his  "  evil  things,  as  though  a  choice  or 
specific  merit  of  his.  But'  now  how  changed  !  What  a 
complete  reversal !  Here  .  ,  ,  comforted.  Here  he  has 
found  rest,  and  is  a  beggar  no  more.  And  thou  art  in 
anguish.  The  poor  man  has  become  rich,  and  the  rich  man 
poor  ;  and  that  in  infinite  degree,  and  never  to  be  changed. 

26.  And  beside  all  this,  between  us  and  you  there  is  a  great  gulf  fixed, 
that  they  which  would  pass  from  hence  to  you  may  not  be  able,  and  that 
none  may  cross  over  from  thence  to  us. 

26.  Between  us  and  you,  making  a  separation,  .  .  . 
a  great  gulf,  chasm,  across  which,  however,  the  dwellers 
in  hades  could  see  and  hear.  Fixed,  established.  So 
that,  to  the  end  that,  for  the  purpose  that,  they  which 
would  pass  .  .  .  may  not  be  able.  There  are  limits  in 
the  other  world.  And  inasmuch  as  the  inability  to  cross 
affects  those  on  each  side  alike,  what  becomes  of  Romish 
notions  oi  purgatory,  and  of  the  theory  of  the  Restora- 
tionists?     This  speaks  of  the  status  in  hades  as   "fixed." 

27,  28.  And  he  said,  I  pray  thee  therefore,  father,  that  thou  wouldest 
send  him  to  my  father's  house ;  for  I  have  five  brethren  ;  that  he  may 
testify  unto  them,  lest  they  also  come  into  this  place  of  torment. 

27,  28.  Send  him,  this  Lazarus,  to  my  father's  house — 
for  I  have  five  brethren — lest  they  also  come  here.  As 
if  he  had  not  been  sufficiently  warned,  but  he  will  have 
them  well  informed!  Is  there  here  a  self-justifying  spirit 
still,  and  an  accusing  of  God  ?  Is  he  really  concerned 
for  his  brethren,  or  does  he  fear  their  coming  will  only 
aggravate  his  own  misery?  Alford  says  on  this,  "That 
a  lost  spirit  should  feel  and  express  such  sympathy,  is 
not  to  be  wondered   at  ;  the  misery  of  such  will  be  very 


314  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xvi.  2S-31. 

much  heightened  by  the  awakened  and  active  state  of 
those  higher  faculties  and  feeHngs  which  selfishness  and 
the  body  kept  down  here." 

29.  But  Abraham  saith,  They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets;  let  them 
hear  them. 

29.  They  have  Hoses  and  the  prophets,  the  Old  Testa- 
ment Scriptures ;  let  them  hear  them.  This  shows  the 
teachings  of  the  Old  Testament  to  be  sufficient  to  warn 
men  of  the  wrath  to  come,  and  keep  them  out  of  it. 
But  while  boasting  of  Moses  and  the  prophets,  the  Jews 
did  not  truly  listen  to  their  teachings. 

30,  31.  And  he  said,  Nay,  father  Abraham  :  but  if  one  go  to  them  from 
the  dead,  they  will  repent.  And  he  said  unto  him.  If  they  hear  not  Moses 
and  the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be  persuaded,  if  one  rise  from  the  dead. 

30.  Nay.  He  knows  better  than  Abraham  or  God.  A 
sinner's  presumption  goes  with  him  to  the  other  world. 
But  if  one  go  to  them  from  the  dead,  they  will  repent. 
The  Jews  were  ever  seeking  "  a  sign."  People  now  want 
something  more  than  what  they  have,  something  mar- 
vellous, portentous.  Some  of  them,  as  in  the  olden  time, 
seek  to  "  familiar  spirits  "  that  peep  and  mutter ;  and 
though  they  are  easily  deceived,  defrauded,  made  game 
of,  they  do  not  repent  of  their  sins. 

3 1 .  If  they  hear  not  Moses  and  the  prophets,  neither 
will  they  be  persuaded,  believe,  not  to  say  repent,  if  one 
rise  from  the  dead.  How  was  it  when  Lazarus  rose  and 
testified  ?  They  sought  to  put  him  as  well  as  Jesus  to 
death.  How  was  it  when  Jesus  rose?  They  paid  the 
soldier  guards  to  lie  about  it,  and  circulated  a  report  that 
His  disciples  had  stolen  the  body. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

1-4.  And  he  said  unto  his  disciples,  It  is  impossible  but  that  occasions  of 
stumbling  should  come:  but  woe  unto  him,  through  whom  they  come!  It 
were  well  for  him  if  a  millstone  were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  he  were 
thrown  into  the  sea,  rather  than  that  he  should  cause  one  of  these  little 
ones  to  stumble.  Take  heed  to  yourselves  :  if  thy  brother  sin,  rebuke  him  ; 
and  if  he  repent,  forgive  him.  And  if  he  sin  against  thee  seven  times  in 
the  day,  and  seven  times  turn  again  to  thee,  saying,  I  repent,  thou  shalt 
forgive  him. 

1.  The  discourse  turns  now  again  to  his  disciples,  not 
merely  the  Twelve.  Something  in  the  circumstances  of 
the  occasion  led  to  these  words  about  occasions  of  stum= 
bling.  Perhaps  it  was  the  spirit,  words  and  acts  of  the 
Pharisees,  as  revealed  in  xv.  2,  xvi.  14-18.  Similar  words 
are  found  elsewhere,  spoken  on  other  occasions.  (See  on 
Matt.  X.  38-50 ;  xviii.  6-9  ff. ;  Mark.  ix.  38-50.)  The  Greek 
word  rendered  "  occasions  of  stumbling  "  is  axdvdaXa,  from 
which  comes  our  word  "  scandals."  These  must  come  in 
the  nature  of  things  as  they  now  are  in  a  fallen  world  ; 
it  is  not  to  be  expected  otherwise,  it  is  not  conceivable. 
This  is  the  meaning  of  impossible  here.  They  are,  how- 
ever, blameworthy,  and  every  one  is  responsible  for  afford- 
ing them  :  hence  the  woe  here  denounced  on  him. 

2.  He  would  better  be  dead — the  original  words  indi- 
cate completed  action  (as  to  the  method  see  on  passages 
referred  to  above) — than  that  he  should  become  an  occa- 
sion of  falling  into  sin  on  the  part  of  one  of  these 
little  ones,  weak  disciples,  beginners  in  grace,  refer- 
ring,   perhaps,    directly    to     converted    *'  publicans    and 

315 


3i6  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xvii.  2-4. 

sinners  "  (xv.  2)  among  them.  Meyer  says,  **  To  explain 
the  expression  from  Matt,  xviii.  6  or  x.  42  is  not  allow- 
able," the  expression  there,  at  least  in  the  first  passage, 
pointing  directly  to  the  little  child  whom  Jesus  set  in 
their  midst. 

3.  In  view,  then,  of  the  certainty  of  occasions  of  stum- 
bling, scandals,  and  of  the  woe  denounced  against  every 
author  of  them,  take  heed  to  yourselves.  Avoid  them 
and  the  woe  attaching  to  them.  Now  comes  the  partic- 
ular application  :  if  thy  brother,  one  of  these  little  ones, 
least  disciples,  sin,  err,  come  short,  commit  a  fault — 
though  "against  thee"  is  thrown  out  by  textual  criti- 
cism, the  context  shows  that  to  be  the  sense — rebuke 
him.  Do  this  in  the  interest  of  truth  ;  do  not  become 
an  occasion  of  his  falling  by  failing  to  notice  and  rebuke 
his  error.  "  Merely  to  be  patient  and  keep  silence,  sub- 
mitting to  it  resignedly  because  he  is  a  brother — that 
would  itself  be  an  offence"  (Stier).  And  if  he  repent, 
forgive  him.  Forgiveness  is  not  to  be  pronounced,  or 
completed, until  there  has  been  rcpoitancc,  or,  at  least,  a 
profession  of  repentance  (ver.  4).  Here  man's  forgiveness 
patterns  after  the  divine. 

4.  The  process  seven  times  repeated  "  finds  its  justifica- 
tion in  its  [the  representation's]  purpose,  to  wit,  to  lay 
stress  upon  forgiveness  as  incapable  of  being  wearied  out  " 
(Meyer).  As  truth  required  rebuke,  so  love  requires 
forgiveness.  "  The  lack  of  truth  in  rebuking  and  con- 
fessing, and  still  more  the  lack  of  rebuking  and  yet  for- 
giving love,  is  the  secret  reason  of  all  offences  in  the 
church,  as  in  the  world  itself  "  (Stier). 

5.  6.  And  the  apostles  said  unto  the  Lord,  Increase  our  faith.  And  the 
Lord  said,  If  ye  have  faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  ye  would  say  unto 
this  sycamine  tree,  Be  thou  rooted  up,  and  be  thou  planted  in  the  sea ;  and 
it  would  have  obeyed  you. 


xvii.  5,  6.]  CHAPTER  XVII.  317 

5.  The  apostles  were  deeply  impressed  with  this  dis- 
course to  the  disciples,  and,  perhaps  from  their  important 
position  in  the  church,  feeling  their  especial  need,  made 
reply  to  this  discourse  on  occasions  of  falling,  Increase 
our  faith,  or,  rather.  Give  us  more  faith.  Only  faith  could 
thus  pray,  but,  like  him  in  Mark.  ix.  24,  they  feel  how 
feeble  is  their  faith  for  the  end  to  be  attained — faithful- 
ness in  rebuke  and  persistency  in  love.  If  apostles,  in 
the  presence  of  the  Lord,  needed  to  put  up  this  prayer, 
how  much  more  does  it  become  us ! 

6.  The  Lord  joins  them  in  the  highest  appreciation  of 
faith.  If  you  have  faith  ye  could  and  should  have  con- 
fidence to  overcome  all  the  difficulties  that  will  meet  you. 
Even  though  that  faith  be  small,  as  a  grain  of  mustard 
seed,  yet  there  is  power  in  it,  even  as  the  grain  of  mus- 
tard seed  has  in  it  the  force  of  life,  and  ye  would  (might, 
could)  say  unto  this  sycamine  tree,  large  and  deeply 
rooted  in  the  ground,  seemingly  so  secure,  and  thus  rep- 
resentative of  a  great  difficulty.  Be  rooted  up,  nor  that 
only,  but  also  planted  in  the  sea,  a  seeming  impossibility 
— and  it  would  have  obeyed  you.  -You  are  right  in  your 
desire  for  more,  greater  faith  ;  for  it  is  the  disciple's 
power,  for  it  is  the  hand  that  takes  hold  of  almighty 
strength.  With  it  even  in  a  world  where  offences  must 
needs  come,  you  may  be  confident.  "  All  things  are 
possible  to  him  that  believeth  "  (Mark  ix.  23). 

See  on  Matt,  xvii,  19-21,  xxi.  21  ;  Mark  ix.  23,  24,  29, 
xi.  22-25. 

7-10.  But  who  is  there  of  you,  having  a  servant  plowing  or  keeping 
sheep,  that  will  say  unto  him,  when  he  is  come  in  from  the  field,  Come 
straightway  and  sit  down  to  meat;  and  will  not  rather  say  unto  him,  Make 
ready  wherewith  I  may  sup,  and  gird  thyself,  and  serve  me,  till  I  have  eaten 
and  drunken ;  and  afterward  thou  shalt  eat  and  drink  ?  Doth  he  thank 
the  servant  because  he  did  the  things  that  were  commanded?  Even  so  ye 
also,  when  ye  shall  have  done  all  the  things  that  are  commanded  you,  say, 


3i8  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xvii.  7-9. 

We  are  unprofitable  servants;  we  have  done  that  which  it  was  our  duty 
to  do. 

The  argument  is  from  the  nature  of  things.  From 
man's  way  of  doing,  and  human  relations,  tlie  Lord  illus- 
trates God's  way  and  our  relation  to  Him.  The  purpose 
is  to  nurture  faith  by  humility  and  to  keep  down  in  the 
disciples  any  sense  of  merit,  any  pride  and  self-exaltation 
that  might  follow  the  possession  and  exercise  of  such 
power  as  is  here  ascribed  to  faith. 

7.  It  is  not  the  custom  for  any  one  who  has  a  servant 
— the  word  signifies  a  bond-servant,  a  slave,  one  who  be- 
longed to  his  master,  not  a  hired  servant  (and  there  is  no 
comment  here  passed  on  the  propriety  of  such  a  relation  ; 
it  was  a  very  common  one  in  those  days  and  in  Eastern 
countries) — whether  it  be  a  plowman  or  a  herdsman,  no 
matter  what  the  kind  or  difficulty  of  the  work  he  may  be 
doing,  when  he  is  come  in  from  that  work  at  evening,  to 
bid  him  come  straightway  and  sit  down  to  meat.  He 
does  not  eat  first,  but  the  master. 

8.  Rather  is  there  something  for  him  yet  to  do,  and  he 
hears  the  word,  flake  ready  .  .  .  gird  thyself  as  a  waiter, 
and  serve  me  ....  afterward  thou  shalt  eat  and  drink. 
His  place  is  afterward.  So  the  Lord  would  teach  His 
apostles  to  be  forward  indeed  in  the  interests  of  His 
kingdom,  in  His  service,  but  aftcriuard  in  serving  them- 
selves and  seeking  their  own.  This  is  their  place,  and 
this  marks  true  devotion,  faith  in  their  Lord  :  the  Master 
and  His  work  first,  ourselves  afterward.  Would  there 
were  more  of  this  spirit  of  true  service ! 

9.  10.  Further  it  is  not  customary  to  thank  the  servant 
at  the  close  of  the  day  for  his  obedient  faithfulness.  He 
did  what  was  commanded  him  ;  that  was  his  business, 
what  was  expected  of  him  :  if  he  had  not  done  it  he 
would  have  deserved  and  received  censure.     The  master 


XVII.  lo,  II.]  CHAPTER  XVIL  3x9 

is  kind  to  him,  treats  him  well,  supplies  his  needs,  but 
does  not  tJiank  him  as  though  he  had  done  him  a  favor. 
Applying  the  illustration  to  the  Twelve,  Jesus  says : 
Even  so  ye,  God's  servants,  who  certainly  owe  more  to 
Him  than  any  earthly  servants  to  their  masters,  when  ye 
have  done  all — but  who  has?  The  supposition  is  strained 
to  its  furthest  limit:  however  faithful  servants  ye  have 
been — acknowledge,  We  are  unprofitable,  we  have  done 
nothing  more  than  it  was  our  duty  to  do,  we  have  not 
exceeded  our  obligation,  we  cannot  claim  tJianks  or 
rczvard.  Men  are  of  no  use  to  God  in  the  sense  of  being 
profitable.  We  receive  from  and  do  not  give  to  God. 
With  this  sense  and  spirit  we  will  be  able  to  overcome 
the  world  with  its  many  occasions  of  stumbling  and  will 
not  likely  be  offending  ones  against  the  brethren. 

II.     And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they  were  on  the  way  to  Jerusalem,  that  he 
was  passing  through  the  midst  of  Samaria  and  Galilee. 

II.  It  came  to  pass  marks  a  very  general  connection 
and  marks  neither  time  nor  place.  Luke  recurs  here 
again  to  their  being  on  the  way  to  Jerusalem.  (Comp.  ix. 
51  ;  xiii.  22,  33,  and  comments  there.)  This  begins  the 
concluding  period  of  that  great  journey.  But  how  comes 
it  that  here  He  is  spoken  of  as  passing  through  the  midst 
of  Samaria  and  Galilee,  when  we  supposed  Him  to  have 
finally  left  Galilee  at  ix.  51  ?  The  w^ords  may  mean  that 
their  course  lay  through  those  countries  or  through  the 
strip  of  country  bordering  on  each  of  them.  And  why 
is  Samaria  mentioned  first,  if  their  journey  was  south- 
ward toward  Samaria  ?  But  we  have  supposed  them  to 
have  been  long  ago  in  Judsea  and  Peraea,  and  even  to 
have  been  in  Jerusalem.  Edersheim  suggests  "  that,  on 
leaving  Ephraim  (John  xi.  54),  Christ  made  a  very  brief 
detour  along  the  northern  frontier  to  some  place  at  the 


320  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xvii.  ii,  12. 

southern  border  of  Galilee — perhaps  to  meet  at  a  certain 
point  those  who  were  to  accompany  Him  on  His  final 
journey  to  Jerusalem."  He  explains  that  some  of  Jesus' 
followers  may  have  naturally  wished  to  pay  a  brief  visit 
to  Galilee  again,  and  refers  especially  to  Mark's  state- 
ment that  many  women  came  up  with  Him  to  Jerusalem, 
noting  that  a  lengthened  journeying  of  these  latter  with 
Him  and  for  an  indefinite  purpose  would  have  been 
quite  contrary  to  Jewish  manners.  He  thinks  all  dififi- 
culties  met  "if  we  suppose  that  Christ  had  passed  from 
Ephraim  along  the  border  of  Samaria  to  a  place  in 
Galilee,  there  to  meet  such  of  His  disciples  as  would  go 
up  with  Him  to  Jerusalem.  The  whole  company  would 
then  form  one  of  those  festive  bands  which  travelled  to 
the  Paschal  Feast,  nor  would  there  be  anything  strange 
or  unusual  in  the  appearance  of  such  a  band,  in  this 
instance  under  the  leadership  of  Jesus."  Among  many 
explanations  of  the  chronology  and  topology  of  this  verse, 
the  one  given  is  sufficient,  and  we  leave  further  discussion 
thereof  to  the  harmonists. 

12,  13.  And  as  he  entered  into  a  certain  village,  there  met  him  ten  men 
that  were  lepers,  which  stood  afar  off.  And  they  lifted  up  their  voices, 
saying,  Jesus,  Master,  have  mercy  on  us. 

12.  Jesus,  in  His  course,  was  about  to  enter  a  certain 
village.  But  before  doing  so  there  met  him,  that  is, 
attracted  His  attention  and  stayed  for  a  time  His  going, 
ten  men  who  dare  not  follow  Him  into  the  village,  for 
they  were  lepers.  (See  Lev.  xiii.  46  ;  2  Kings  xv.  5.) 
Leprosy  has  its  name  from  a  Greek  word  which  signifies 
a  scale,  because  in  this  disease  the  body  was  often 
covered  with  thin  white  scales,  giving  the  appearance'  of 
snow.  (See  Ex.  iv.  6 ;  Numb.  xii.  10;  2  Kings  v.  27.) 
On  leprosy,  see  Comments  on  Matt.  viii.  2-4  ;  Mark  i. 
40-45. 


XVII.  13,  14-]  CHAPTER  XVII.  321 

Here  was  a  company  of  unfortunates.  In  their  com- 
mon misery  the  hatred  between  Jew  and  Samaritan  seems 
to  have  been  lost  sight  of. 

13.  They  stood  afar  off,  according  to  the  law,  but  lifted 
up  their  voices,  cracked,  feeble,  indistinct,  as  they  were, 
with  hope.  For  Jesus  had  already  healed  lepers  (Matt. 
viii.  1-4;  Luke  v.  12-15)  and  ^^"^^  given  the  twelve  the 
same  power  (Matt.  x.  8).  Jesus,  flaster,  have  mercy  on 
us,  pity  us!  It  was  a  pitiful  sight  and  a  pitiful  cry,  and 
it  touched  the  Lord's  pitiful  heart. 

14.     And  when  he  saw  them,  he  said  unto  them,  Go  and  shew  yourselves 
unto  the  priests.     And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they  went,  they  were  cleansed. 

14.  But  His  way  of  answering  men's  cries  is  not  always 
the  same.  Before,  He  toucJied  the  leper  and  healed  him 
first,  and  then  sent  him  to  the  priest.  Now  He  said,  Go, 
and  show  yourselves  unto  the  priests.  What  for  ? 
There  was  no  doubt  in  their  minds  or  anybody's  else 
that  they  were  lepers.  What  were  the  priests  to  test  or 
determine  concerning  them  ?  See  in  Lev.  xiii.  2  ;  xiv.  2, 
3,  etc.,  the  law  on  this  subject.  Though  leprosy  was  in- 
curable by  known  means,  yet  sometimes  the  afflicted 
recovered.  Every  such  cure  had  to  be  attested  by  the 
priest,  whose  certification  thereto  restored  the  person  to 
society  and  relieved  him  of  the  strictures  put  by  the  law 
upon  the  leprous.  Jesus'  command,  therefore,  was 
equivalent  to  an  assurance  of  their  healing,  but  it  tested 
their  faith  and  required  obedience  to  His  word.  Stier, 
noticing  Jesus*  "  systematic  principles  of  propriety,"  says, 
"  And  it  should  be  observed  here  as  well  as  there  (Matt, 
viii.  4),  with  what  persistency  He  deferred  to  the  existing 
ordinances  of  God  even  in  their  deep  degradation  and 
perversion,  as  witnessing  against  the  spirit  of  separation 
which  would  falsely  vindicate  itself   by   His   example." 


322  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xvii.  14-17. 

As  they  went,  in  this  faithful  obedience,  they  were 
cleansed,  and  were  conscious  of  their  healing.  So,  as  we 
obey  Jesus'  word,  in  childlike  trust,  we  are  cleansed  from 
sin  by  His  word  of  grace. 

15,  16.  And  one  of  them,  when  he  saw  that  he  was  healed,  turned  back, 
with  a  loud  voice  glorifying  God.  And  he  fell  upon  his  face  at  his  feet, 
giving  him  thanks  :  and  he  was  a  Samaritan. 

15.  One  of  them  now  acted  differently  from  the  others. 
Conscious  of  his  healing,  he  turned  back  in  the  fulness  of 
a  thankful  heart,  and,  with  a  loud  voice,  which  itself,  so 
changed  from  what  he  had  lifted  up  before  (ver.  13),  testi- 
fied the  change  that  had  been  wrought  in  his  body, 
glorifying  God,  the  giver  of  every  good  and  perfect  gift, 
who  "healeth  all  our  diseases." 

16.  And  not  only  so,  but  he  fell  upon  his  face  humbly, 
in  giving  him  thanks  as  the  minister  of  God's  great 
mercy  to  him.  Did  he  therein  also  worship  Jesus,  pay 
Him  divine  homage?  Ver.  19  leads  us  to  think  it  prob- 
able he  did.  And  he  was  a  Samaritan,  as  all  his  features 
showed.  So  was  it  a  Samaritan  that  excelled  priest  and 
Levite  in  neighborly  love  to  him  that  fell  among  robbers. 

17,  iS.  And  Jesus  answering  said,  Were  not  the  ten  cleansed?  but 
where  are  the  nine  ?  Were  there  none  found  that  returned  to  give  glory  to 
God,  save  this  stranger  ? 

17.  Were  not  the  ten  cleansed,  all  of  them  alike  made 
whole  ?  But  where  are  the  nine?  "  We  might,  indeed, 
find  some  sort  of  apology  for  them  in  this  (ver.  14)  com- 
mandment of  the  Lord  which  they  so  punctually  obeyed  ; 
but  the  Lord  looks  deeper,  and  values  tJiis  obedience  but 
lightly.  He  also  regards  the  occurrence  as  having  a  typical 
significance.  He  beholds  in  these  nine,  contrasted  with 
the  one,  the  thanklessness  of  men  as  a  whole.  He  sees 
in  them  the  ingratitude  of  heart  which  many  whom  He 
had    before   healed  had    manifested,    having    never    yet 


XVII.  17,  iS.]  CHAPTER  XVII.  323 

learned  to  glorify  God  ;  and  regards  this  incident  but  as 
a  prophetic  type  of  what  will  also  ever  take  place.  Grati- 
tude is  the  '  beginning,  middle,  and  end  of  all  true  human 
morals,'  or  rather  devotion  (see  Heb.  xii.  28,  rightly 
translated) ;  ingratitude  is  the  origin  of  all  heathenism 
according  to  Rom.  i.  21,  and  the  root  of  all  apostasy  in 
Israel  according  to  Deut.  xxxii.  6  "  (Stier). 

18.  Note  the  interrogative  form  given  in  the  Revised 
Version  to  this  verse,  and  its  force.  None  found  to  give 
glory  to  God,  save  this  stranger,  this  one  of  another 
nation  ?  Ah,  Israel,  as  of  old,  thankless  !  How  many 
like  them,  God's  favored  people,  take  His  constant  and 
His  particular  benefits  as  a  matter  of  course,  as  their  pre- 
rogative! "  The  ox  knoweth  his  owner,  and  the  ass  his 
master's  crib  ;  but  Israel  doth  not  know,  my  people  doth 
not  consider !  " 

What  if  it  be  said  the  nine  were  thankful  in  their  hearts 
as  they  Avent  on  to  the  priests  ?  Well,  where  was  the 
evidence  of  this  thankfulness  ?  Moreover  it  is  not  enough 
to  feel  thankful.  The  Scriptures  everywhere  exhort  us 
to  expression,  to  give  thanks.  "  In  every  thing  give 
thanks."  "  Through  him  then  let  us  offer  up  a  sacrifice 
of  praise  to  God  continually,  that  is,  the  fruit  of  lips 
which  make  confession  to  his  name.  But  to  do  good  and 
to  communicate  forget  not  :  for  with  such  sacrifices  God 
is  well  pleased"  (Heb.  xiii.  15,  16).  And  this  is  beauti- 
fully set  forth  in  our  worship,  not  only  by  the  frequent 
occurrence  of  the  Glorias  and  the  use  of  the  Doxology, 
but  also  by  the  "  Offertory,"  where,  in  connection  with 
the  singing  of  parts  of  Psalm  li.  or  other  suitable  Script- 
ures, we  give  also  our  offerings  of  money  to  the  causes 
of  Missions,  Church  Extension,  Education,  Orphans' 
Homes  and  other  good  objects — ourselves  and  our  sub- 
stance laid  upon  God's  altar. 


324  'TH^  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xvii.  19-21. 

19.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Arise,  and  go  thy  way  :  thy  faith  hath  made 
thee  whole. 

19.  Arise.  We  must  not  be  always  in  the  posture  of 
worship,  on  our  face  before  the  Lord.  Go  thy  way, 
serve  Him  on  thy  feet  and  in  thy  course  through  hfe. 
Go  to  the  priest  now.     Thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole. 

Does  not  this  mean  more  than  that  his  leprosy  had  been 
healed  ?  The  ten  were  all  healed  of  that.  Yes,  we  be- 
lieve it  declares  him  to  be  now  healed  of  his  soul-sickness, 
worse  than  leprosy,  healed  of  sin.  Here  He  spake  to 
him,  we  think,  the  peace  of  God.  So  far  as  we  see  the 
ten  were  healed,  the  o)ie  was  saved. 

20,  21.  And  being  asked  by  the  Pharisees,  when  the  kingdom  of  God 
Cometh,  he  answered  them  and  said,  The  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  with 
observation  :  neither  shall  they  say,  Lo,  here  !  or.  There  !  for  lo,  the  king- 
dom of  God  is  within  you. 

20,  21.  The  Pharisees,  last  heard  from  at  xvi.  14,  where 
they  scoffed  at  Him,  appear  again,  and,  in  the  same  spirit, 
ask  when  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  Jesus  preached,  and 
to  which  He  referred  at  that  interview  (xvi.  16),  cometh. 
They  ask  not  zvhere  ?  taking  it  for  granted  it  would  be 
among  themselves,  the  people  of  God !  Their  views  of 
the  kingdom  of  God,  as  their  spirit  and  writings  show, 
were  carnal,  sensual,  political,  worldly.  Jesus  tells  them 
there  would  be  no  such  coming  as  they  expected,  with 
observation,  with  external  show  and  pageantry,  not  with 
espial  and  like  kingdoms  of  the  world.  It  is  not  an  out- 
side thing,  for  the  senses,  "  it  cannot  be  marked  out  on  the 
map  "  (Roos)  ;  and  its  coming  is  accordant  with  its  na- 
ture. And  so,  it  will  not  be  heralded  with  a  Lo,  here! 
or  There  !  as  though  it  were  local,  earthly,  one  among 
others,  visible.  For  lo — another  and  different  "lo,"and 
something  to  be  carefully  noted — the  kingdom  of  God. 


XVII.  21,  22.]  CHAPTER  XVII.  325 

(notice  this  thrice  repeated  subject  in  so  short  a  space  as 
these  two  verses)  is  within  you,  is  already  here  among 
you,  on  the  one  hand,  and,  further,  is  a  thing  of  the  inner 
world  of  spirit  and  life,  a  spiritual  thing. 

Chrysostom,  Luther,  Olshausen,  Calvin,  and  others 
understand  by  "  within  you  "  in  aniniis  vestris.  Meyer 
and  most  modern  interpreters  render  it  "among  you," 
i.  e.  already  in  the  midst  of  you.  With  Stier  we  combine 
both  interpretations,  giving  the  expression  its  fullest 
meaning.  "  For  the  kingdom  of  God  is  internal  among 
yoH—hnt  because  it  is  not,  O  Pharisee,  in  thcc,  thou  wilt 
never  see  it  "  (Draseke). 

As  if  He  had  said  to  the  Pharisees,  "  Your  kingdom  of 
God,  that  which  ye  expect,  cometh  never  "  (Stier),  and 
having  shown  its  differing  nature  and  methods  from  king- 
doms of  this  world,  He  presently  turned  to  others  (next 
verse)  and  proceeded  to  speak  of  things  to  come,  con- 
nected with  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  should  have 
manifestation  and  call  for  "  observation." 

22-24.  And  he  said  unto  the  disciples,  The  days  will  come,  when  ye 
shall  desire  to  see  one  of  the  days  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  ye  shall  not  see 
it.  And  they  shall  say  to  you,  Lo,  there  !  Lo,  here !  go  not  away,  nor 
follow  after  them  :  for  as  the  lightning,  when  it  lighteneth  out  of  the  one 
part  under  the  heaven,  shineth  unto  the  other  part  under  heaven;  so  shall 
the  Son  of  man  be  in  his  day. 

22.  Unto  the  disciples  now,  in  contrast  with  "the 
Pharisees  "  of  ver.  20.  Days  will  come.  He  speaks  of 
the  future,  and  of  a  strong  desire  that  would  come  to  them 
for  one  of  the  days  of  the  5on  of  man,  of  the  Bride- 
groom's visible  presence — would  He  were  with  us  again 
as  in  the  days  of  His  appearance  on  the  earth  ! — a  natural 
longing,  yet  ye  shall  not  see  it.  That  is  not  God's  plan. 
It  will  be  as  useless  to  be  looking  for  such  a  day  as  it  was 
for  the  sons  of  the  prophets  to   be  hunting  for  Elijah, 


326  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xvii.  23-26. 

after   he  had  been  taken  up    into  heaven  (2   Kings  ii. 
15-18). 

23.  They  shall  say,  giving  heed  to  rumors,  pretences, 
lying  wonders,  deceitful  signs,  false  prophets,  Lo,  there 
He  is,  and  Lo,  here  !  There  will  be  such  cries,  but  they 
will  be  misleading ;  go  not  away  from  patient  faith  and 
trustful  confidence,  to  follow  after  them.  "A  warning 
to  all  so-called  expositors  and  followers  of  expositors  of 
prophecy,  who  cry  i^oh  uJSs  and  ISoh  ^xsi,  every  time  that 
war  breaks  out  or  revolutions  occur"  (Alford). 

24.  The  Son  of  man  indeed  cometh  with  observation, 
in  his  day,  whenever  it  shall  be,  as  promised  throughout 
the  Scriptures  (John  xiv.  3  ;  Acts  i.  1 1  ;  i  Thess.  iv.  16). 
It  will  be  in  glory,  patent  to  every  eye  (Rev.  i.  7)  like 
the  lightning  that  illumines  everything  under  heaven. 

25.  But  first  must  he  suffer  many  things  and  be  rejected  of  this  gene- 
ration. 

25.  A  number  of  things  must,  in  the  divine  order, 
come  first,  before  the  Paroiisia  ;  among  them  His  suffer- 
ings and  rejection  by  this  generation,  the  Jews  of  that 
day.  Jesus  knew  this  full  well,  but  it  was  wholly  foreign 
to  the  Jews'  notion  of  the  Messiah  and  was  also  not  com- 
prehended by  the  disciples  till  after  its  fulfilment. 

26-30.  And  as  it  came  to  pass  in  the  days  of  Noah,  even  so  shall  it  be 
also  in  the  days  of  the  Son  of  man.  They  ate,  they  drank,  they  married, 
they  were  given  in  marriage,  until  the  day  that  Noah  entered  into  the  ark, 
and  the  flood  came,  and  destroyed  them  all.  Likewise  even  as  it  came  to 
pass  in  the  days  of  Lot ;  they  ate,  they  drank,  they  bought,  they  sold,  they 
planted,  they  builded ;  but  in  the  day  that  Lot  went  out  from  Sodom  it 
rained  fire  and  brimstone  from  heaven,  and  destroyed  them  all :  after  the 
same  manner  shall  it  be  in  the  day  that  the  Son  of  man  is  revealed. 

26-30.  The  days  of  Noah  and  of  Lot  were  days  of  judg- 
ment and  salvation  and  most  suitable  historical  illustra- 
tions of  like  things  to  come  in  the  days  of  the  Son  of 
man,    the    coming  Parousia.     In    those  early   days  the 


XVII.  27-31.]  CHAPTER  XVIL  327 

masses  of  the  people  went  on  in  the  usual  tenor  of  their 
way,  regardless  of  the  preaching  of  righteousness  by  God's 
servants,  careless  of  judgment  to  come,  and  when  the 
flood  came,  in  the  one  case,  and  the  fire  and  brimstone 
from  heaven,  in  the  other  case,  these  judgments  found 
them  unprepared  and  destroyed  them  all.  Notice  that 
the  things  mentioned  in  vers.  27,  28  were  not  wicked 
things,  but  merely  secular,  worldly  things,  which  so  en- 
grossed them  that  they  neglected  things  spiritual  and 
divine.  Certainly  they  were  wicked,  and  went  on  as  if 
there  was  no  danger,  no  judgment  to  come,  and  hence  no 
need  to  seek  salvation.  So  shall  it  be  also  in  the  last 
days  yet  to  come  upon  the  earth.  Observe  that  our  Lord 
takes  the  flood  and  the  ruin  of  Sodom  as  historical. 

31-33.  In  that  day,  he  which  shall  be  on  the  housetop,  and  his  goods  in 
the  house,  let  him  not  go  down  to  take  them  away :  and  let  him  that  is  in 
the  field  likewise  not  return  back.  Remember  Lot's  wife.  Whosoever 
shall  seek  to  gain  his  life  shall  lose  it :  but  whosoever  shall  lose  his  life 
shall  preserve  it. 

See  on  Matt.  xxiv.  17,  18;  Mark  xiii.  15,  16.  Whilst 
in  the  places  just  referred  to,  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
is  spoken  of,  paralleled  in  Luke's  chap,  xxi.,  there  isgreat 
diversity  among  commentators  as  to  whether  the  passage 
here  has  any  such  reference.  Meyer,  Van  Oosterzee  and 
others  deny  any  such  reference.  Stier  admits  "  a  hint 
at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem." 

31.  That  day  is  the  same  that  is  mentioned  in  vers.  24, 
30.  Whether  on  the  housetop,  at  home,  resting,  or  in  the 
field,  busy,  earthly  goods  and  that  which  is  back,  left  be- 
hind, are  not  to  engage  his  thoughts  or  efforts.  Worldly 
ties  are  not  then  to  bind.  Herein  are  we  not  taught  to 
be  looking  off  from  earthly,  temporal  things,  unto  Jesus 
and  spiritual,  eternal  verities ;  and  we  should  cultivate 
this  mind  now,  that  when  "  that  day  "  comes  it  may  be 


328  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xvii.  31-37. 

customary  to  us  and  not  a  new  thing,  impossible  to  be 
taken  up  at  the  moment ! 

32.  Lot's  wife  is  a  perpetual,  solemn  reminder  of  the 
fate  of  those  who  look  back  and  so  perish. 

33.  Everything  for  Christ  and  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Venture  all,  and  save  all  that  is  worth  saving.  "  Seek  ye 
first  the  kingdom  of  God,"  etc.  See  on  ix.  24  and  Matt. 
X.  39,  Mark  viii.  35  :  but  the  application  here  is  to  the  day 
of  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ. 

34,  35.  I  say  unto  you,  in  that  night  there  shall  be  two  men  on  one  bed ; 
the  one  shall  be  taken,  and  the  other  shall  be  left.  There  shall  be  two 
women  grinding  together;  the  one  shall  betaken,  and  the  other  shall  be  left. 

34.  35.  Now  the  occasion  is  spoken  of  as  that  night  (the 
Greek  has  it  '^  tJiis  night  "),  perhaps  with  allusion  to  the 
Lord's  coming  "  as  a  thief  in  the  night  "  :  but  presently 
daytime  is  again  referred  to  in  the  occupation  of  grinding 
at  the  mill.  "  Ye  know  not  the  day  nor  the  hour."  But 
then  there  will  be  separations  of  those  as  intimately  as- 
sociated as  two  men  on  one  bed  or  two  women  grinding 
at  one  mill:  joined  in  like  situations  and  occupations,  per- 
haps to  mortal  eyes  alike,  but  not  so  to  God  ;  for  one 
shall  be  taken  from  the  evil  to  come,  the  other  left,  over- 
whelmed by  it  ;  one  saved,  the  other  lost ! 

Ver.  36  of  the  Auth.  Ver.  is  thrown   out   by  the  best 

criticism, 

37.  And  they  answering  say  unto  him,  Where,  Lord  ?  And  he  said  unto 
them,  Where  the  body  is,  thither  will  the  eagles  also  be  gathered  together. 

37.  The  Pharisees  had  asked,  "  When  ?  "  (ver.  20) :  the 
disciples  now  ask.  Where,  Lord  ?  This  cannot  be 
answered  definitely  :  therefore  the  Lord  replies  pro- 
verbially. See  this  proverb  amply  explained  in  Vol.  IL 
on  Matt.  xxiv.  28.  Reference  to  the  Roman  ensigns, 
however  taking,  is  not  admissible.  Given  the  occasion, 
and  there  follows  the  consequence,  everywhere. 


CHAPTER  XVIIL 

1.  And  he  spake  a  parable  unto  them  to  the  end  that  they  ought  always 
to  pray,  and  not  to  faint ; 

1.  Many  a  time,  by  precept  and  by  example  and  by 
formula,  Jesus  taught  His  disciples  to  pray.  The  point 
of  this  parable   is  that  they  ought  always  to  pray,  and 

not  to  faint — persistence,  importunity.  So  Paul  repeat- 
edly (Rom.  xii.  12  ;  Eph.  vi.  18 ;  Col.  iv.  2  ;  i  Thess.  v.  17) 
urges  Christians  to  be  "praying  always,"  to  "  pray  with- 
out ceasing."  Keep  at  it,  not  formally  only,  but  really, 
whether  in  the  closet  (of  the  house  or  of  the  heart)  or  in 
public.  Men  are  apt  to  faint,  to  become  discouraged  and 
cease  from  prayer. 

2,  3.  Saying,  There  was  in  a  city  a  judge,  which  feared  not  God,  and 
regarded  not  man :  and  there  was  a  widow  in  that  city ;  and  she  came  oft 
unto  him,  saying,  Avenge  me  of  mine  adversary. 

2,  3.  The  two  characters  of  this  parable  are  a  judge  and 
a  widow.  The  judge  was  by  his  character  utterly  unfit 
for  his  place.  Sitting  in  the  place  of  God  (Ps.  Ixxxii.  6  ; 
John  X.  34),  he  was  utterly  unlike  God.  He  feared  not 
God,  and  so  was  without  religion  ;  he  regarded  not  man, 
and  so  was  without  humanity.  The. heathen  thus,  pro- 
verbiall}^,  characterized  an  abandoned,  wanton,  outrageous 
person.  When  such  men  come  to  be  judges,  the  land 
mourns.  A  widow,  in  the  East,  was  a  synonym  for  help- 
lessness. She  was  a  prey  to  many  sorts  of  oppressors, 
and  this  many  Scripture  passages  attest.     Here  then  was 

329 


330  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xvin.  3-6. 

a  hard  man  in  the  place  of  power,  and  a  helpless  woman, 
begging  him,  as  was  his  prerogative,  to  avenge  her  of  her 
adversary,  to  do  her  simple  justice  over  against  her 
pursuer.  She  came  oft  unto  him  who  ought  to  have  at 
the  first  taken  up  her  case  and  decided  her  cause  ;  she 
kept  coming  with  the  same  petition.  She  knew  her  cause 
to  be  just  and  kept  insisting  that  it  be  decided. 

4,  5.  And  he  would  not  for  a  while ;  but  afterward  he  said  within  him- 
self, Though  I  fear  not  God,  nor  regard  man ;  yet  because  this  widow 
troubleth  me,  I  will  avenge  her,  lest  she  wear  me  out  by  her  continual 
coming. 

4,  5.  And  he  would  not,  was  not  willing,  for  a  while. 
What  did  he  care  ?  She  had  no  power  to  compel  him 
and  no  means  to  bribe  him.  He  was  purely  selfish;  not 
right  or  truth,  but  merely  his  own  perverse  will,  governed 
him.  The  inhuman  villain  not  only  was  such,  but  he 
acknowledged  it  to  himself  and  boasted  of  it  inwardly.  I 
will  avenge  her,  he  concluded,  not  because  it  is  right, 
godly  or  humane,  but  only  because  she  troubleth  me, 
just  to  get  rid  of  her.  Lest  she  wear  me  out  by  her  con- 
tinual coming.  "  Lest,  coming,  she  strike  me,"  Dr. 
Bruce  renders  it,  supported  by  Bengel,  Meyer  and  Godet, 
and  the  use  of  the  original  word  in  i  Cor.  ix.  27.  "The 
judge  humorously  affects  to  fear  the  exasperated  widow's 
fists."  She  had  gone  so  far  with  her  tongue  and  was  be- 
coming more  and  more  vehement  with  a  sense  of  wrong, 
that,  lest  he  couldn't  stand  it  further,  this  specimen  of  a 
judge  says  at  last,  I  will, 

6-8.  And  the  Lord  said,  Hear  what  the  unrighteous  judge  saith.  And 
shall  not  God  avenge  his  elect,  which  cry  to  him  day  and  night,  and  he  is 
longsuffering  over  them  "i  I  say  unto  you,  that  he  will  avenge  them 
speedily.  Howbeit  when  the  Son  of  man  cometh,  shall  he  find  faith  on 
the  earth  ? 

6.  The  argument  is  by  contrast  and  ix  fortiori.     The 


XVIII.  6-8.]  CHAPTER    XVIIL  331 

unrighteous  judge  can  be  brought  to  do  the  right  thing, 
to  execute  his  office,  by  touching  the  only  place  in  him 
that  is  tender — his  regard  for  his  own  feelings. 

7.  And  shall  not  God,  the  righteous  judge  of  all  -the 
earth,  avenge,  defend,  come  to  the  succor  of,  his  elect. 
His  chosen  and  loved  ones,  who  are  near  and  dear  to  His 
heart,  and  who  cry  to  him  day  and  night  in  unceasing 
prayerfulness  ?  Shall  such  a  wanton  wretch  be  moved 
by  selfishness,  and  shall  not  the  good  God  be  moved  by 
love?  The  reading,  and  he  is  long  suffering  over  them, 
does  not  seem  good ;  that  of  the  Authorized  Version  is 
better :  but,  better  still,  we  may  read  it  "  And  he  delays 
(to  interpose)  in  their  cause,"  or  "  And  he  deferreth  his 
anger  on  their  behalf." 

8.  That  He  does  so  may  seem  to  indicate  indifference 
or  rejection  :  but  it  does  not,  for  the  Lord  says,  I  say 
unto  you,  or  "  I  tell  you  " — and  this  is  the  best  author- 
ity— he  will  avenge  them  and  it  will  be  speedily,  that 
is  suddenly  and  without  recourse  ;  as  the  Psalmist  says 
of  the  wicked,  "  How  are  they  become  a  desolation  in  a 
moment !  "  God  waits  long,  but  He  will  make  in  His 
time  a  quick,  a  speedy  end,  as  at  the  destruction  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah!  Howbeit  His  delay  to  avenge  His 
church,  represented  by  the  widow  of  the  parable,  will  be 
so  trying  to  His  saints  and  an  occasion  of  such  indiffer- 
ence and  boastful  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  wicked 
(see  Matt.  xxiv.  36-39,  48-51  ;  2  Pet.  iii.  3-10),  that  the 
Lord  asks.  When  the  Son  of  man  cometh,  to  judge  the 
earth  and  to  avenge  His  elect,  shall  he  find  faith  on  the 
earth  ?  God's  providence  is  often  dark,  "  clouds  and 
darkness  are  round  about  him ; "  will  His  people  be 
found  looking  through  all  these  clouds,  certainly  expect- 
ing the  "  righteousness  and  judgment  "  that  are  "  the 
stability  of  his  throne  ?  " 


332  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xviii.  9-11. 

9.  And  he  spake  also  this  parable  unto  certain  which  trusted  in  them- 
selves that  they  were  righteous,  and  set  all  others  at  nought : 

9.  There  were  two  sides  to  the  views  of  those  to  whom 
this  parable  was  spoken.  They  trusted  in  themselves 
that  they  were  righteous,  they  were  self-righteous,  and 
they  set  all  others  at  nought.  These  two  dispositions 
fitted  together  very  well  and  made  a  very  false  and  proud 
character.  "  Poor  and  proud  "  is  a  proverbial  combina- 
tion :  but  these  were  pious  (!)  and  proud. 

ID.  Two  men  went  up  into  the  temple  to  pray  ;  the  one  a  Pharisee,  and 
the  other  a  publican. 

10.  Two  characters  again.     The  one  a  Pharisee.     He 

belonged  to  the  exclusives  among  the  Jews,  the  orthodox 
aristocracy.  The  other  a  publican.  One  of  the  despised 
class,  coupled  with  "  sinners  "  in  the  Pharisees'  estima- 
tion. They  were  sinners  that  made  no  pretence.  (See 
on  XV.  I,  2.)  Both  these  men  went  up  into  the  temple 
to  pray.  "  My  house  shall  be  called  a  house  of  prayer 
for  all  people "  (Is.  Ivi.  7;  Mark  xi.  17).  Some  in  our 
day  would  make  it  a  house  of  preachifig!  Our  lesson 
emphasizes /;v7jrr,  and  gives  some  specimens. 

II,  12.  The  Pharisee  stood  and  prayed  thus  with  himself,  God,  I  thank 
thee,  that  I  am  not  as  the  rest  of  men,  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers,  or 
even  as  this  publican.  I  fast  twice  in  the  week ;  I  give  tithes  of  all  that 
I  get. 

11.  12.  The  Pharisee  stood,  having  taken  up  his 
position,  very  consciously,  and  prayed  thus  with   him= 

self.  He  spoke  within  himself,  and,  as  a  prayer,  it  seems 
not  to  have  gone  farther  than  himself.  It  was  altogether 
self.  True,  he  said,  God,  I  thank  thee,  but  clearly  he 
praised  himself  more  than  he  praised  God.  His  prayer 
was  "  I."  He  put  himself  on  one  side  and  the  rest  of 
men  on  the  other.      He  exalted  himself  (ver.  14)  for  what 


XVIII.  12,  13-]  CHAPTER    XVIII.  ^iZZ 

he  was  not  (negative  virtues)  and  for  what  he  did  in  the 
small  matters  of  fasting  and  titJiing.  He  said  nothing 
of  "  judgment,  mercy  and  faith."  The  prophet  asked, 
"  And  what  doth  the  Lord  thy  God  require  of  thee  but 
to  do  justly,  love  mercy,  and  walk  humbly  with  thy 
God  ?  "  This  Pharisee  had  not  got  further  than  to  "  do 
justly,"  according  to  his  own  testimony.  Yet  he  set 
himself  above  the  rest  of  men,  especially  this  publican 
in  another  part  of  the  temple,  of  whom  his  proud  eye 
had  caught  a  glance.  It  is  assumed  that  what  he  said  of 
himself  was  true.  How  many,  like  him,  think  themselves 
good,  or  better  than  others,  for  what  they  are  not  and  do 
not  do — "  I  am  not  so  bad,"  *'  I  haven't  done  anything 
very  wicked,"  "  I  am  honest  and  harm  nobody,"  "  No- 
body can  say  anything  against  me,"  etc. — and  for  ex- 
ternal observances — "  I  go  to  church  every  Sunday,"  "  I 
attend  two  meetings  a  week,"  "  I  give  regularly,"  etc. 
But  this  Pharisee  did  not  believe  in  the  Confitcor ;  he 
had  nothing  to  confess.  And  those  like  him  are  not 
sensible  of  sin.  Contrast  David's  thankssrivingr  in  i 
Chron.  xxix.  13,  14,  16. 

13.  But  the  publican,  standing  afar  off,  would  not  lift  up  so  much  as  his 
eyes  unto  heaven,  but  smote  his  breast,  saying,  God,  be  merciful  to  me  a 
sinner. 

13.  But  the  publican,  with  contrasting  feelings,  acts 
and  words,  as  sincere  as  the  Pharisee,  standing  afar  off  in 
the  seclusion  of  humility  and  a  sense  of  sin,  would  not 
lift  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  unto  heaven,  so  down  was  he 
in  heart  for  his  character  before  God,  but  smote  his 
breast,  expressing  in  outward  gesture  the  grief  and  self- 
condemnation  he  felt,  and  said,  God,  be  merciful  to  me  a 
sinner.  The  original  has  the  definite  article,  "  tJie 
sinner,"  as  if  there  were  no  other :  and  so  his  view  of 
himself  and  representations  of  himself  before  God  is  just 


334  "^HE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xviii.  13,  14. 

the  opposite  of  that  of  the  Pharisee,  above.  "  To  the 
Pharisee  all  are  sinners  and  he  only  is  righteous  ;  to  the 
publican  all  are  righteous  and  he  only  tJie  sinner " 
(Westermeier). 

14.  I  say  unto  you,  This  man  went  down  to  his  house  justified  rather 
than  the  other  :  for  every  one  that  exalteth  himself  shall  be  humbled ;  but 
he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted. 

14.  This  man,  the  publican,  went  down  .  .  .  justified 
rather  than  the  other,  the  Pharisee.  Not  justified  by  his 
character  or  by  his  prayer,  but  by  God's  grace.  For  "  God 
resisteth  the  proud,  and  giveth  grace  to  the  humble." 
Justification  is  an  act  of  God's  free  grace,  and  He  does 
not  justify  those  who  justify  themselves,  but  those  who 
confess  their  sins  and  out  of  their  helplessness  cry  to 
Him  for  mercy.  "  Whoso  covereth  his  sins  shall  not 
prosper,  but  whoso  confesseth  them  shall  find  rncrcy." 
Hence  in  our  morning  service  of  prayer  we  have  first  the 
"  Confession  of  sin,"  and  in  the  evening  we  begin  with 
the  humble  cry,  "  Make  haste,  O  God,  to  deliver  me  : 
Make  haste  to  help  me,  O  Lord."  The  Pharisee  and 
self-righteous  man's  justification  is  in  himself  ;  the  sin- 
ner's hope  is  in  God's  mercy  ;  his  help,  in  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ.  Luke  loves  to  offer  hope  to  the  Gentiles, 
for  whom  his  Gospel  history  was  written. 

Then  the  Lord  gave  the  law  of  the  kingdom  for  every 
one,  showing  that  self-exaltation,  pride,  shall  be  brought 
down,  while  self-abnegation,  humiliation,  is  the  character 
and  posture  of  hope  from  God.  "  The  Lord  is  nigh  unto 
them  that  are  of  a  contrite  heart,  and  saveth  such  as 
are  of  a  broken  spirit :  "  but  "  the  proud  he  knoweth 
afar  off  !  "  The  Old  Testament  and  the  New  alike  testify 
to  this.  So  then,  prevailing  prayer  is  humble  as  well 
as  importunate.  In  converse  with  God  we  must  know 
our  place.     It  is  "  from  the  dust  "  that  He  "  lifteth  up 


XVIII.  14,  1 5-]  CHAPTER  XVIII.  335 

the  poor,"  "  to  set  him  with  princes  and  make  him  in- 
habit the  throne  of  his  glory." 

15.  And  they  brought  unto  him  also  their  babes,  that  he  should  touch 
them  :  but  when  the  disciples  saw  it,  they  rebuked  them. 

Matthew  (xix.  13-30)  and  Mark  (x.  13-22)  give  this 
and  the  following  narrative  ;  this  threefold  record  in- 
dicating their  importance  in  the  Gospel  system.  The 
former  part  is  pecuharly  interesting  as  showing  Christ's 
relation  and  feeling  toward  children,  a  family  teaching 
for  the  home,  and  as  showing  the  nature  of  the  kingdom 
of  God  by  Him  who  is  the  King. 

15.  Even  the  babes,  as  it  may  well  be  read,  they 
brought  unto  Jesus.  Yes;  why  not?  Are  not  babes 
but  little  men  and  women  ?  Is  it  likely  that  Jesus  was 
so  concerned  for  mankind  as  to  come  and  lay  down  His 
life  for  them,  and  yet  have  no  concern  or  salvation  for 
children  ?  Shall  earthly  fathers  and  mothers  care  so 
much  and  do  so  much  for  their  little  ones,  and  will  He 
who  is  the  revealer  of  the  Father  care  nothing  and  do 
nothing  for  them?  Evidently  the  mothers  did  not  have 
such  thoughts  or  misgivings,  and  so  they  brought  unto 
him  also  their  babes,  that  he  should  touch  them.  And 
if  the  timid  woman  by  touching  Him  received  the  Great 
Physician's  healing  power,  would  not  His  touch  of  the 
children,  His  laying  His  hands  upon  them  with  prayer 
(Matt.),  communicate  to  them  a  blessing?  The  disciples, 
who  often  showed  little  faith,  seem  not  to  have  thought 
so.  They  seem  to  have  made  the  little  ones  of  little 
account.  At  all  events  they  rebuked  them  in  the  per- 
sons of  "  those  that  brought  them  "  (Mk.).  So  now, 
when  we  bring  our  babes  to  Jesus  for  baptism,  the 
sacrament  of  initiation  into  His  church,  which  is  His 
body,  that  they  may  be  united  to  Him  in  this  bond  of 


336  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xviii.  15,  16. 

covenant  grace,  some  rebuke  us,  and  say  this  is  not  for 
children.     But,  hear  the  Lord. 

16.     But  Jesus  called  them  unto  him,  saying,  Suffer  the  little  children  to 
come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not :  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God. 

16.  He  called  them  unto  him  whom  the  disciples  would 
have  driven  away,  and  kindly  reproved  them,  saying. 
Suffer  the  little  children  to  come  unto  me — shall  the 
lambs  not  come  to  the  Good  Shepherd  ? — and  forbid 
them  not.  How  the  sadness  and  disappointment  that 
had  come  on  the  mothers'  faces,  if  not  on  the  babes',  now 
gave  way  to  sweet,  peaceful,  expectant  smiles,  as  they 
now  went  close  to  the  Saviour,  and  He  "  took  them  up 
in  his  arms  and  blessed  them,"  laying  His  holy  hands 
upon  their  heads  (Mk.) !  Hear,  moreover,  Jesus'  reason 
in  that  comforting  word  to  all  parents,  for  of  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  God.  To  such  it  belongs  ;  for  such  are  its 
blessings.  It  is  theirs  not  by  nature,  but  by  grace,  by 
the  appointment  and  will  of  Him  who  founded  it. 
Children  are  by  nature  what  their  parents  are  by  nature, 
the  children  of  Adam,  fallen,  sinners.  But  "  as  in  Adam 
all  die,  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive,"  if  they  do 
not  reject  the  counsel  of  God  against  themselves,  if  they 
they  do  not  refuse  and  trample  upon  His  life-giving 
grace  ;  and  this  the  babes  do  not  do.  In  the  first  Adam 
without  their  act  or  fault,  they  are  in  the  second  Adam 
by  His  sovereign  grace  who  became  the  second  head  of 
the  race.  Not  because  of  their  innocence,  but  because  of 
His  redemption  and  love  that  more  abounded  where  sin 
first  abounded,  are  they  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  But  at 
the  same  time  Jesus  teaches  (John  iii.  5)  that  "  except 
one  be  born  of  water  and  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God,"  and  this  was  given  to  Nicode- 
mas  as  a  universal  rule.     Hence  our  church  teaches  that 


XVIII.  i6-i8.]  CHAPTER  XVIII.  337 

baptism  is  necessary  to  salvation,  simply  because  Christ 
has  made  it  so  in  the  working  plan  given  His  church ; 
but  distinguishes  this  from  its  being  essential.  Hence  the 
language  of  Articles  H.  and  IX.,  Augsburg  Confession. 
We  know  no  such  thing  as  elect  and  non-elect  infants  ; 
but,  believing  redemption  to  be  as  universal  as  the  fall,  we 
baptize  children  into  Christ,  and  believe  it  dangerous  and 
sinful  to  neglect  or  despise  this  sacrament.  After  that 
we  leave  unbaptized  children,  in  Christian  or  heathen 
lands,  to  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ,  believing  He  saves 
them  by  His  abounding  grace,  despite  their  want  of 
baptism,  this  want  occurring  not  by  their  own  fault  or 
contempt. 

17.  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of 
God  as  a  little  child,  he  shall  in  no  wise  enter  therein. 

17.  Here  is  a  universal  law,  introduced  by  whosoever. 
Now  how  does  a  little  child  receive  the  kingdom  of  God, 
so  little  a  thing  receive  so  great  a  thing  ?  Why,  in  short, 
it  does  not  resist  God,  it  lets  Him  save  it ;  it  puts  its  hand 
in  God's ;  it  looks  up  and  smiles  to  have  Him  put  His 
hand  upon  its  head  ;  it  quiets  itself  upon  the  Saviour's 
breast  (Ps.  cxxxi.).  See  Mk.  ix.  33-42.  Any  one  other- 
wise disposed  shall  not  enter  therein. 

iS,  19.  And  a  certain  ruler  asked  him,  saying,  Good  Master,  what  shall 
I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life  ?  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Why  callest  thou 
me  good  ?  none  is  good,  save  one,  even  God. 

18.  Here  we  get  another  illustration  about  entering 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  finding  eternal  life. 
There  it  was  babes  and  their  relation  to  the  kingdom  ; 
here  it  is  a  young  man  (Matt.),  one  whose  character  had 
so  commended  him  to  men  that  he  was  already  a  ruler 
in  the  synagogue.  The  other  evangelists  give  some  de- 
tails as  to  the  manner  of  his  coming  and  of  his  appeal, 

22 


338  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xviii.  i8,  19. 

showing  his  great  earnestness.  Luke  merely  reports  his 
words.  Good  Master.  Thus  he  might  have  addressed 
any  of  the  Rabbis.  His  question  was  one  of  the  utmost 
importance — What   shall    I   do   to   inherit  eternal  life? 

Once  in  the  Old  Testament  (Dan.  xii.  2)  and  here  first  in 
the  New,  we  find  these  words,  "  eternal  life."  The  whole 
Bible  is  full  of  the  idea  they  convey,  and  it  is  plain  enough 
what  the  young  ruler  meant  by  them.  Although  there  is 
some  contradiction  in  doing  in  order  to  inherit,  not  taken 
account  of  by  the  ardent  youth,  it  is  evident  from  the 
whole  account  that  the  man  was  a  legalist,  bound  by  the 
covenant  of  zvorks.  He  wanted  to  do  sonictJiing  to  earn 
eternal  life. 

19.  Now  let  it  be  remembered  that  Jesus  knew  this 
man  thoroughly,  his  good  qualities  and  his  faults.  He 
saw  that  the  youth  came  sincerely,  not  temptingly,  and 
Jesus  began  to  lead  him  gradually  into  higher  views  of 
truth  than  he  had  yet  known.  How  lightly  the  young 
ruler  used  the  word  "good" — "Good  Master"  and  (ac- 
cording to  Matt.)  "  What  good  thing  shall  I  do  ?  "  That 
is  the  word  to  emphasize  in  reading  the  question  of  ver.  19, 
"  Why  callest  thou  me  good?"  Think  more  soberly  of 
that  word  ;  what  does  it  involve  ?  None  is  good  save 
one,  even  God  !  He  might  have  learned  that  from  the 
Scriptures.  David  had  represented  Jehovah  as  looking 
down  from  heaven  to  see  if  there  were  any  that  did  un- 
derstand and  seek  God,  and  concluding,  "  There  is  none 
that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one!"  (Ps.  xiv.  i,  3,  and  Rom. 
iii.  12).  Solomon  had  said,  "There  is  not  a  just  man 
upon  earth  that  doeth  good  and  sinneth  not  "  (Eccles. 
vii.  20),  and  all  experience  and  observation  fully  confirm 
this  verdict.  Am  I  good  ?  said  Christ.  Then  am  I  God 
— more  than  thou  takest  me  to  be!  No  mere  man  is 
good.     Jesus  by  no  means  said  He  was  a  mere  man,  but 


XVIII.  19-22.]  CHAPTER    XVIII.  339 

merely  put  His  questioner  to  thinking  more  deeply  and 
correctly  concerning  tJic  good. 

20,  21.  Thou  knowest  the  commandments,  Do  not  commit  adultery,  Uo 
not  kill,  Do  not  steal,  Do  not  bear  false  witness,  Honour  thy  father  and 
mother.     And  he  said,  All  these  things  have  I  observed  from  my  youth  up. 

20.  The  commandments.  They  are  the  rule  of  a 
rounded,  complete,  godlike  life.  (See  Levit.  xviii.  5  ;  Rom. 
X.  5.)  Jesus  specifies  the  precepts  of  the  second  table 
probably  because  it  is  easier  for  us  to  judge  ourselves 
in  our  relations  to  our  fellow-men  than  in  our  relations 
directly  to  God. 

21.  With  a  proud  consciousness  of  an  externally  cor- 
rect life,  the  young  man  replied,  All  these  things  have  I 
observed  from  my  youth  up.  Like  Saul  of  Tarsus, 
touching  the  righteousness  which  was  of  the  law  he  was 
blameless  by  the  low  standard  of  human  judgment.  No 
one  could  say  any  evil  thing  against  him.  He  was  a 
thoroughly  moral  young  man.  He  was  evidently  sin- 
cerely in  earnest,  aiming  at  legal  perfection.  But  he,  as 
evidently,  was  ignorant  both  of  himself  and  of  the 
spirituality  of  God's  law  ;  and  now  he  had  addressed  him- 
self to  one  who  perfectly  knew  both  these.  The  Great 
Teacher  will  teach  him  that  knowledge  too. 

22.  23.  And  when  Jesus  heard  it,  he  said  unto  him,  One  thing  thou 
lackest  yet:  sell  all  that  thou  hast,  and  distribute  unto  the  poor,  and  thou 
shalt  have  treasure  in  heaven  :  and  come,  follow  me.  But  when  he  heard 
these  things,  he  became  exceeding  sorrowful ;  for  he  was  very  rich. 

22.  Jesus'  heart  went  out  to  this  young  man  (Mark). 
There  was  something  lovable  in  his  uprightness,  openness 
and  earnestness.  This  drawing  towards  him,  however, 
did  not  deter  Jesus  from  a  faithfulness  which  He  knew 
would  grieve  the  young  man's  inmost  soul.  Natural  gifts 
and  graces  are  lovely  and  beautiful,  but  not  saving. 
Loveliness  is  not  life  ;  morality  is  not  religion. 


340  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xviii.  22,  23. 

One  thing  thou  lackest  yet  of  that  perfection  at  which 
thou  aimest.  Eagerly,  no  doubt,  the  ruler  listened  to 
know  what  it  was.  The  Master  had  said,  "  One  thing  ;  " 
how  near,  then,  he  must  be  to  the  goal ;  how  intently,  in 
his  readiness  to  do  somcthiJig  raovQ  if  necessary,  did  he 
regard  the  word  that  followed  !  Sell  all  that  thou  hast 
— but,  oh,  he  was  very  rich — and  distribute  unto  the 
poor  with  that  genuine  love  that  sacrifices  itself  for 
others'  good,  that  love  that  costs  something,  that 
"  sceketh  not  her  own,"  that  gives  expecting  not  again  ; 
and  come  follow  me.  The  Lord  had  Himself  made 
such  sacrifice,  and  set  the  example.  Though  He  was 
rich,  for  our  sakes  He  became  poor  (2  Cor.  viii.  9),  and, 
from  being  Creator  and  Upholder  of  all  things,  took  so 
low  a  place  that  He  had  not  where  to  lay  His  head 
(Matt.  viii.  20) ;  He  emptied  Himself  (Phil.  ii.  7)  that  we 
might  be  filled  (John  i.  16;  Eph.  iii.  19).  The  young 
man  was  called  only  to  follow  Jesus'  example  and  steps, 
not  to  do  the  impossible  or  what  had  never  yet  been 
done.  Yes,  even  follow  vie,  says  Christ,  if  you  would  find 
the  good ;  I  am  the  Shepherd  true,  the  good  Shepherd 
(John  X.  1-18).  And  was  it  all  sacrifice  to  which  he  was 
called  ?  Was  there  nothing  offered  in  return  ?  Yes  : 
thou  Shalt  have  treasure  in  heaven,  where  moth  and 
rust  do  not  corrupt,  nor  thieves  break  through  and  steal, 
durable  riches  and  righteousness. 

23.  The  Lord  offered  this  rich  man  a  good  investment 
— beyond  any  contingency.  But,  instead  of  jumping  at 
it,  he  became  exceeding  sorrowful  and  showed  that  his 
heart  was  not  right  toward  God. 

"  How  is  the  gold  become  dim  !  How  is  the  most  fine 
gold  changed!  "  Jesus'  requirement  sounded  the  depths 
of  the  young  ruler's  character,  and  tested  him  just  where 
the  Lord  knew  he   was  wanting.     His  possessions  were 


XVIII.  23,  24.]  CHAPTER  XVIII.  341 

his  god  :  he  had  not  yet  kept  the  first  commandment, 
and  how  could  he  then  properly  keep  any  of  the  others? 
And  here  is  the  difference  between  morality  and  religion  : 
the  former  consists  in  acts  or  restraints,  the  latter  has  its 
home  in  the  spirit  and  consists  in  love,  first  and  supremely 
toward  God,  and  then  towards  man,  made  in  the  image 
of  God. 

There  is  no  entering  the  kingdom  without  coming  to 
Christ  :  He  is  the  Door.  There  is  no  walking  in  the  way 
of  life  without  following  Christ :  He  is  the  Way.  Eternal 
life  is  not  in  us  or  our  doing.  "This  is  the  promise 
[mark  that  word  promise  (Gal.  iii.  18)]  that  he  hath 
promised  us,  even  eternal  life  "  (i  John  ii.  25).  "  He 
that  hath  the  Son  hath  the  life  ;  he  that  hath  not  the 
Son  of  God  hath  not  the  life"  (i  John  v.  12),  whether 
he  be  very  rich  or  very  poor,  or  neither. 

24,  25.  And  Jesus  seeing  him  said,  How  hardly  shall  they  that  have 
riches  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God  !  For  it  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  enter 
in  through  a  needle's  eye,  than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

24,  25.  Here  is  the  moral.  How  hardly,  with  what 
difficulty,  shall  they  that  have  riches  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God.  The  reason  seems  to  have  been 
evident  enough,  yet  the  disciples  were  amazed  at  His 
words.  Temporal  blessings  Avere  looked  upon  under  the 
Old  Testament  as  a  mark  of  God's  favor,  and  were 
expected  to  abound  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  Moreover 
money,  or  other  possessions,  we  are  told,  is  the  all  in  all 
with  the  Orientals.  And  is  it  not  equally  so  with  the  Occi- 
dentals ?  The  people  of  the  East  cannot  understand  why 
people  should  travel,  study,  work,  or  do  anything,  unless 
with  the  hope  of  gain.  Such,  no  doubt,  is  the  prevailing 
spirit  East  and  West,  modified  by  the  teachings  of  Chris- 
tianity.    But  'tis  universally   true   that   those  who  have 


342  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xviii.  25-27. 

riches  are  apt  to  trust  in  them.  And  even  those  who  do 
not  have  them,  hope  to  have  them,  try  to  have  them  ;  and 
their  trust  comes  to  be  in  this  hope  and  attempt.  "  They 
that  zvill  be  rich,"  who  have  their  minds  set  on  that,  are 
in  the  same  danger  with  the  rich.  In  ver.  25  Jesus  used 
an  ordinary  proverbial  expression  to  denote  the  extreme 
difficulty  that  hedges  about  a  rich  man's  entering  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The  literalness  of  the  terms 
camel  and  a  needle's  eye  is  not  to  be  explained  away. 
MoRlSON  calls  this,  "  A  fine,  bold  way  of  speaking,  that 
need  impose  upon  no  one  who  has  a  spark  of  poetry  in 
his  soul.  The  key  to  its  import  is  hung  at  the  girdle  of 
common  sense." 

26,  27.  And  they  that  heard  it  said,  Then  who  can  be  saved  ?  But  he 
said,  The  thuigs  which  are  impossible  with  men  are  possible  with  God. 

26,  27.  Then  who  can  be  saved  ?  is  the  quick  reply  of 
the  amazed  disciples.  "  Do  not  the  poor  also  cleave  to 
their  scrap  of  possession  and  strive  after  more  ;  has  not 
every  man  at  bottom  something  which  as  his  possession 
he  will  n(3t  let  go?  If  the  entrance  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  so  narrow,  tc//^  then  is  small  and  unencumbered 
enough  to  enter  ?  What  thou  sayest  is  truly  the  case  of 
all — we  understand  thee  ;  then  the  being  saved  must  be 
in  general  a  thing  of  iinpossibility  /"  (Stier).  But,  the 
things  which  are  impossible  with  men  are  possible  with 
God.  His  power  and  grace  are  equal  to  the  salvation  of 
men.  No  man,  by  morality  or  any  other  means,  can  save 
himself  or  his  brother.  Salvation  is  of  God,  who  is  as 
willing  as  He  is  able.  Blessed  be  God  for  His  gracious 
power  and  powerful  grace  ! 

But  what  a  solemn  warning  is  here,  not  only  to  every 
one,  but  specially  to  the  rich  not  to  trust  in  their  wealth 
or  set  their  love  upon  it  or  what  it  may  bring ;  and  to  all 


XVIII.  27-29-]  CHAPTER  XVIII.  343 

young  people,  to  seek  first,  in  time  and  in  zeal,  the  king- 
dom of  God  and  His  righteousness  and  not  earthly  gains 
and  position  ;  and  to  all  parents  to  be  earnestly  solicitous 
that  their  children  be  Christians,  be  saved,  rather  than 
become  rich  or  distinguished  among  men  !  The  danger 
of  riches  as  well  as  of  seeking  them  is  that  you  may  thus 
make  ^failure  of  life,  and  be  in  the  end  bankrupt,  with 
nothing  saved. 

28-30.  And  Peter  said,  Lo,  we  have  left  our  own,  and  followed  thee. 
And  he  said  unto  them,  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  There  is  no  man  that  hath 
left  house,  or  wife,  or  brethren,  or  parents,  or  children,  for  the  kingdom  of 
God's  sake,  who  shall  not  receive  manifold  more  in  this  time,  and  in  the 
world  to  come  eternal  life. 

28.  Peter  must  have  something  to  say.  His  ideas, 
moreover,  as  we  have  seen  on  several  occasions,  were 
rather  crude  and  false.     Lo,  we  have  left  our  own,  and 

followed  thee :  zvc  are  surely  right  and  candidates  for 
heaven's  rewards.  They  had  indeed  left  all — their  busi- 
ness, their  associations,  families  and  friends — at  Jesus' 
word.  Imperfect  and  in  error  as  they  in  many  respects 
were,  they  were  withal  devoted  disciples.  Jesus  had 
held  out  to  the  young  ruler  the  possession  of  treasure  in 
heaven.  It  was  not  improper  in  them  to  have  respect  to 
the  recompense  of  the  reward,  if  governed  by  a  right 
spirit  therein.  Moses  had  such  respect  (Heb.  xi,  26),  and 
Jesus  Himself  "  for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him  en- 
dured the  cross  "  (Heb.  xii.  2).  The  Bible  appeals  very 
strongly  to  man's  hope  of  attaining  better  things. 

29.  Jesus,  therefore,  did  not  chide  Peter,  but,  with  a 
Verily  I  say  unto  you,  proceeded  to  affirm  that  in  the 
kingdom  of  God  there  are  abundant  compensations  for 
all  sacrifices,  even  of  the  dearest  things,  made  in  the 
interests  of  that  kingdom.  For  the  kingdom  of  God's 
sake..     Not  for  sake  of  the   reward,  not   to  purchase  it, 


344  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xviii.  29-33. 

but  in  loving,  obedient  consecration,  the  living  sacrifice 
(Rom,  xii.  i).  Manifold  more  in  this  time.  Godliness 
hath  the  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is.  God's  service 
makes  for  man's  welfare  in  all  his  true  needs,  as  Paul  says 
to  the  Philippians,  who  had  contributed  to  his  necessities 
at  Rome,  "  My  God  shall  fulfil  every  need  of  yours  ac- 
cording to  his  riches  in  glory  in  Christ  Jesus."  All  these 
things  shall  be  added  unto  those  who  seek  first  God's 
kingdom  and  righteousness.  But  this  does  not  mean 
that  they  shall  be  without  sore  trials  and  persecutions  in 
"  this  present  evil  world."  But  the  end,  the  grand  result, 
shall  be  eternal  life.  This  we  have  now,  in  hope  (Rom. 
viii.  24) ;  then  in  full  fruition,  with  nothing  to  mar  or 
hinder — in  the  world  to  come. 

"  Brief  life  is  liere  our  portion, 
Brief  sorrow,  short-lived  care  : 
The  life  that  knows  no  ending, 

The  tearless  Life,  is  there. 
O  happy  retribution ! 

Short  toil,  eternal  rest ! 
For  mortals  and  for  sinners 
A  mansion  with  the  blest !  " 

{^Bernard^ 

31-34.  And  he  took  unto  him  the  twelve,  and  said  unto  them,  Behold, 
we  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  all  the  things  that  are  written  by  the  prophets 
shall  be  accomphshed  unto  the  Son  of  man.  For  he  shall  be  delivered  up 
unto  the  Gentiles,  and  shall  be  mocked,  and  shamefully  entreated,  and  spit 
upon  :  and  they  shall  scourge  and  kill  him  :  and  the  third  day  he  shall  rise 
again.  And  they  understood  none  of  these  things;  and  this  saying  was  hid 
from  them,  and  they  perceived  not  the  things  that  were  said. 

See  on  Matt.  xx.  17-19;   Mark  x.  32-34. 

31.  Luke  adds  Jesus'  note  of  the  fulfilment  of  all  the 
things  that  are  written  by  the  prophets  for  the  poition 
of  His  cup.     See  on  Chap.  xxiv.  25-27. 

33.  Matthew  puts  in  the  passive,  "shall  be  raised  up," 
what  Mark  and  Luke  put  in  the  active,  shall  rise  again. 


xvni.  33-43.]  CHAPTER  XVIII.  345 

Both  forms  of  speech  are  used  of  Him  throughout  the 
New  Testament ;  which  is  easily  explained  from  the 
mystery  of  His  Person,  involving  both  the  divine  and  the 
human  nature. 

34.  A  threefold  statement  of  the  disciples'  ignorance 
and  want  of  comprehension  of  the  Saviour's  sufferings, 
involving  also  the  divine  purpose  that  these  matters 
should  for  the  present  be  hid  from  them.  See  on  ix.  45, 
X.  21,  and  comp.  xix.  42. 

35-43.  And  it  came  to  pass  as  he  drew  nigh  unto  Jericho,  a  certain 
blind  man  sat  by  the  way  side  begging :  and  hearing  a  multitude  going  by, 
he  inquired  what  this  meant.  And  they  told  him,  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
passeth  by.  And  he  cried,  saying,  Jesus  thou  son  of  David,  have  mercy  on 
me.  And  they  that  went  before  rebuked  him,  that  he  should  hold  his 
peace:  but  he  cried  out  the  more  a  great  deal,  Thou  son  of  David,  have 
mercy  on  me.  And  Jesus  stood,  and  commanded  him  to  be  brought  unto 
him :  and  when  he  was  come  near,  he  asked  him.  What  wilt  thou  that  I 
should  do  unto  thee  ?  And  he  said,  Lord,  that  I  may  receive  my  sight. 
And  Jesus  said  unto  him.  Receive  thy  sight :  thy  faith  hath  made  thee 
whole.  And  immediately  he  received  his  sight,  and  followed  him,  glorify- 
ing God  :  and  all  the  people,  when  they  saw  it,  gave  praise  unto  God. 

See  on  Matt.  xx.  29-34;  Mark  x.  46-52. 

43,  Luke  adds  to  the  common  narrative  that  the  sight- 
re.stored  man,  while  following  his  healer,  was  glorifying 
God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow,  and  that  all  the  people, 
in  view  of  the  occurrence  as  described,  gave  praise  unto 
God.     This  was  well  done  and  is  a  good  example  for  us. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

We  are  fast  approaching  the  close  of  that  last  journey 
of  our  Lord  to  Jerusalem,  which,  prolonged  and  round- 
about as  it  was,  has  occupied,  with  incidents  that  oc- 
curred in  its  course,  our  attention  since  the  first  note  of 
it  in  ix.  51. 

1.  And  he  entered  and  was  passing  through  Jericho. 

1.  Entered  and  was  passing  through.  This  corre- 
sponds with  the  statement,  xviii.  35,  that  He  healed  a 
blind-man  "  as  he  drew  nigh  unto  "  the  city.  Some 
writers  think  Jesus  spent  some  time  in  this  neighbor- 
hood, resting  at  night  in  the  country,  and  going  into  the 
city  by  day ;  and  that  now  He  had  entered  and  was 
passing  through,  not  to  return.  Jericho  has  become  well 
known  to  us;  overthrown  in  Joshua's  day,  a  curse  pro- 
nounced on  him  who  should  rebuild  it,  it  at  length  be- 
came a  city  again,  and  was  wealthy  and  flourishing  at 
this  time,  a  city  of  the  priests.  (See  on  x.  30-32.)  It 
lay  3600  feet  lower  than  Jerusalem,  twenty  miles  off.  It 
was  near  the  ford  of  the  Jordan,  over  which  the  crowds 
beyond  came  to  Jerusalem. 

2.  And  behold,  a  man  called  by  name  Zacchasus ;  and  he  was  a  chief 
publican,  and  he  was  rich. 

2.  A  man  called  Zacchseus  (pronounced  with  the  penult 
long  and  accented).  This  is  a  Hebrew  name  and  marks 
its  bearer  as  a  Jew  ;  and  here  we  see  that  some  publicans 

346 


XIX.  2-4.]  CHAPTER    XIX.  347 

were  Jews.  A  chief  publican.  There  were  different 
grades  of  publicans,  those  who  were  officers  over  large 
districts  being  generally  Romans  of  some  rank.  Zac- 
chaeus  was  probably  such  a  one's  deputy  in  this  rich 
district,  where  there  was  considerable  trade  in  balsam, 
produced  there,  and  customs  duties  between  Perea  and 
Judaja  were  collected.  And  he  was  rich.  This  enters  as 
an  interesting  factor  into  the  history. 

3,  4.  And  he  sought  to  see  Jesus  who  he  was ;  and  could  not  for  the 
crowd,  because  he  was  Uttle  of  stature.  And  he  ran  on  before,  and  chmbed 
up  into  a  sycomore  tree  to  see  him  :  for  he  was  to  pass  tliat  way. 

3.  And  he  sought  to  see  Jesus  who  he  was.  Moved 
by  curiosity,  but,  also,  as  the  context  shows,  not  unin- 
fluenced by  higher  feelings.     Could  not  for  the  crowd. 

'Tis  easy  to  imagine  the  street  of  Jericho  crowded,  as  we 
have  often  seen  crowds  pressing  to  see  some  object  of 
interest.  Many  of  this  crowd,  probably,  were  also  en 
route  to  the  coming  passover.  Zacchaeus  was  little  of 
stature,  and  therefore  was  at  vast  disadvantage  for  see- 
ing.    Everybody  stood  above  him  and  in  his  way. 

4.  So  earnestly  intent,  however,  was  he  on  gaining  his 
purpose  that  he  ran  on  before,  like  a  little  boy,  and  may 
be  among  the  boys,  and  climbed  up  into  a  sycomore  tree 
to  see  him.  It  was  an  Egyptian  fig  tree,  whose  branches 
come  out  low  down  on  the  trunk,  making  it  easy  to  climb. 
It  attains  a  very  considerable  height  and  breadth,  and  is 
adapted  for  shade.  His  riches,  his  dignity,  all  were  for- 
gotten in  the  earnest  desire  to  see  Jesus.  For  he  was 
to  pass  that  way.  And  that,  not  riding  or  in  any  cir- 
cumstances of  state,  but  walking  along  the  dusty  street, 
like  one  of  us,  easily  lost  in  the  crowd. 

5.  And  when  Jesus  came  to  the  place,  he  looked  up,  and  said  unto  him, 
Zacchjeus,  make  haste,  and  come  down;  for  to-day  I  must  abide  at  thy 
house. 


348  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xix.  5-7. 

5.  Now  see  the  little,  well-known,  rich  revenue-collector 
perched  up  in  the  tree,  waiting  the  coming  of  the  crowd! 
And  when  Jesus  came  to  the  place,  He  gave  the  little 
seeker  a  good  opportunity  not  only  to  see  Him,  but  to  look 
Him  in  the  face,  for  he  looked  up,  answering  the  seeker's 
earnest  desire  which  He  saw  through  before,  just  as  He  had 
seen  Nathanael  under  the  fig  tree  (John  i.  48).  So  the 
seeking  was  followed  by  finding.  Jesus  found  Zacchaeus, 
and  Zacchaius  found  Jesus.  He  who  ran  and  climbed  to 
get  a  sight  of  the. great  Prophet  of  Israel,  now  has  the 
unspeakable  satisfaction  not  only  of  looking  into  His 
up-turned,  benignant  countenance,  but  of  hearing  those 
wonderful  lips  say  to  him,  Zacchaeus,  make  haste,  and 
come  down.  Why  so  ?  For  to  day  I  must  abide  at  thy 
house.  Ah,  those  who  truly  want  to  see  Jesus  will  find 
Him  ready  to  come  in  and  sup  with  them  !  (Rev.  iii.  20.) 
God's  condescending  grace  exceeds  our  expectations. 
The  little  man  was  afraid  he  would  not  even  get  to  see 
Jesus;  but,  behold,  now  he  will  entertain  Him!  Some 
think  his  house  was  out  of  the  city,  along  the  road. 

6,  7.  And  he  made  haste,  and  came  down,  and  received  him  joyfully. 
And  when  they  saw  it,  they  all  murmured,  saying.  He  is  gone  in  to  lodge 
with  a  man  that  is  a  sinner. 

6,  7.  The  little  man  was  now  the  observed  of  all  as  he 
made  haste  and  came  down  from  his  tree  perch.  Joy= 
fully  did  he  accept  the  position  of  host,  in  which  the 
Lord  put  him  ;  but  on  the  other  hand  all  the  crowd 
around  murmured.  There  were  none  of  them,  it  seems, 
that  loved  Zacchaeus.  Even  his  riches  did  not  make 
way  for  him  in  the  Jews'  estimation.  He  was  an  agent 
of  the  hated  Roman  governor,  and  was,  besides,  a  sinner, 
and  with  such  an  one  the  great  Master  had  gone  in  to 
lodge.  This  was  not  the  first  time  there  had  been  an 
outcry  against  the  company  Jesus  kept. 


XIX.  8.]  CHAPTER  XIX.  349 

8.  And  Zacchaeus  stood,  and  said  unto  the  Lord,  Behold,  Lord,  the  half 
of  my  goods  I  give  to  the  poor :  and  if  I  have  wrongfully  exacted  aught  of 
any  man,  I  restore  fourfold. 

8.  And  Zacchaeus  stood,  took  a  prominent  position 
before  the  Lord,  observed  by  all  present.  The  narrative 
does  not  indicate  wliether  this  was  done  immediately  or 
after  going  to  Zaccha^us's  house. 

He  said  unto  the  Lord,  not  making  much  account  of 
what  the  crowd  thought  or  said,  Behold,  Lord,  the  half 
of  my  goods  I  give  to  the  poor.  That  is,  he  now  deter- 
mines, vows  to  do  so  ;  not  that  such  had  been  his 
custom.  And  why  does  he  now  do  this?  Not  for 
display.  He  cared  little  for  popular  opinion.  No  ;  his 
heart  had  been  opened  by  Jesus'  treatment  of  him,  and 
this  determination  is  a  result  of  and  proves  the  change 
wrought  in  him.  When  Jesus  came  into  his  heart,  as 
well  as  his  house,  the  love  of  money  went  out.  Here 
was  the  proof  of  it.  Remember  that  he  zvas  rich  ;  and 
now  this  "  sinner "  was  ready  to  do  what  the  good  (?) 
young  ruler  refused  to  do  (xviii.  22,  23).  And  if  I  have 
wrongfully  exacted  aught  from  any  man — a  very  prob- 
able supposition;  seethe  publicans'  character  hinted  at 
in  John  the  Baptist's  requirement  of  them,  Luke  iii.  12, 
13.  I  restore  (I  now  resolve  to  restore  him)  fourfold. 
The  Roman  law  required  this:  the  Jewish  law,  only  the 
principal  and  a  fifth  more  (Num.  v.  7).  There  was  no 
demand  VTid^de  for  either  ;  but,  as  if  to  revenge  himself  on 
his  hitherto  reigning  sin  (see  John  xx.  28),  and  to  testify 
the  change  he  had  experienced,  besides  surrendering  the 
half  of  his  fair  gains  to  the  poor,  he  voluntarily  deter- 
mines to  give  up  all  that  was  ill-gotten,  quadrupled.  He 
gratefully  addressed  this  to  the  "  Lord,"  to  whom  he 
owed  this  wonderful  change.  The  first  and  best  proof  of 
his  conversion  was  that  he  became  liberal.     The  genuine- 


350  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xix.  S-io. 

ness  of  that  conversion  which  does  not  reach  the  pocket 
and  produce  a  sense  of  stewardship,  is,  to  say  the  least, 
to  be  doubted.  We  are  not  told  the  process  by  which 
this  great  change  in  Zacchaeus  was  wrought,  his  state  of 
mind  before  he  saw  Jesus,  the  emotions  produced  by  the 
Master's  calling  him  by  name  and  finding  him,  how  the 
publican  reasoned ;  only  the  blessed  result,  that  he  cer- 
tainly found  Jesus,  as  the  next  verses  plainly  state.  It 
was  a  divine  work,  greater  even  than  the  healing  of  the 
physically  blind  man. 

9.  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  To-day  is  salvation  come  to  this  house,  for- 
asmuch as  he  also  is  a  son  of  Abraham. 

g.  And  Jesus,  who  knew  the  man's  heart  and  that  his 
vow  was  sincere,  arising  from  a  changed  nature,  said  unto 
him — and  cheering  words  they  were,  spoken  to  him  whom 
man  despised — To=day  (how  soon  !)  is  salvation  come 
(for  Jesus,  "  Saviour,"  had  come  and  been  welcomed)  to 
this  house,  represented  by  its  head,  from  whom  it  was 
according  to  the  divine  constitution  of  the  house  to  go  to 
all  the  members.  Forasmuch  as  he  also  (even  he)  is  a 
son  of  Abraham  ;  and  that  both  by  descent,  and  by 
having  also  the  faith  of  Abraham.  He,  too,  is  a  "  friend 
of  God."  His  natural  descent  put  him  in  the  way  of  salva- 
tion, since  Jesus  was  sent  specially  (Matt.  xv.  24)  to  the  lost 
sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,  but,  of  course,  could  avail 
nothing  for  salvation  ;  there  were  plenty,  aye  the  most, 
of  the  descendants  of  Abraham  of  that  day,  who  rejected 
God's  counsel  of  salvation,  to  their  own  ruin. 

10.  For  the  Son  of  man  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost. 

10.  The  Son  of  man.  The  distinctive  title  our  Lord 
used  of  Himself.     Came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which 

was  lost,  whether  they  were  Jews  or  Gentiles.     Any  who 


XIX.  10-12.]  CHAPTER  XIX.  351 

were  not  lost,  or  did  not  feel  themselves  lost,  He  could 
not  save.  The  most  of  the  Jews  were  too  proud  to  be 
saved  ;  but  here  one  whom  they  abhorred  entered  into 
the  kingdom  of  God  before  them.  Our  Lord's  work  is 
epitomized  in  His  name  Jesus — "  Saviour." 

In  the  parables  of  the  rich  fool,  and  of  the  rich  man 
and  Lazarus,  we  had  illustrations  of  "  how  hardly  shall 
they  that  have  riches  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 
Here  we  learn  that  even  such  "  impossible  "  things  are 
"  possible  with  God  ;  "  and  here  we  rejoice  in  a  rich  man 
saved. 

II.  And  as  they  heard  these  things,  he  added  and  spake  a  parable,  be- 
cause he  was  nigh  to  Jerusalem,  and  because  they  supposed  that  the  king- 
dom of  God  was  immediately  to  appear. 

11.  It  was  as  they  heard  Jesus'  words  to  and  of 
Zacchaeus  and  of  the  purpose  of  His  own  coming  into  the 
•world  (ver.  10),  that  he  added  to  what  had  been  said  and 
spoke  a  parable.  This  marks  the  place  as  Jericho.  The 
parable  of  the  talents  recorded  by  Matthew  (xxv.  14-30, 
comp.  comments  there)  was  spoken  later,  the  third  day 
of  Passion  Week  and  at  Jerusalem.  At  this  time  they 
were  only  nigh  to  Jerusalem.  But  the  spirit  of  His 
many  disciples  was  high-wrought,  in  expectation  of  His 
public  inaugural  as  King  in  a  few  days.  They  supposed 
that  the  kingdom  of  God  was  immediately  to  appear. 
See  this  illustrated  in  what  follows  this  parable.  It  was 
spoken,  then,  chiefly  to  disciples,  and  to  correct  a  false 
impression  of  the  nature  and  time  of  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

12.  He  said  therefore,  A  certain  nobleman  went  into  a  far  country,  to 
receive  for  himself  a  kingdom,  and  to  return. 

12.  Mark  the  therefore.     A  certain  nobleman,   or,  a 

man  well  born.     As  such  he  had  opportunities  which  do 


352  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xix.  12,  13. 

not  at  once  belong  to  every  one.  Jesus  was  well  born, 
having  been  "  conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost  and  born  of 
the  virgin  Mary."  Went  into  a  far  country.  This  took 
time.  He  would  be  long  gone.  To  receive  for  himself  a 
kingdom.  So  Herod  the  Great,  originally  a  subordinate 
officer  in  Judaea,  went  to  Rome,  afar  off  in  those  days,  to 
be  declared  by  the  senate  king  of  the  Jews  ;  and  after- 
wards Archelaus  his  son  went  on  a  similar  errand,  making 
suit  to  Augustus  in  Rome.  Though  John  and  Jesus 
both  preached  the  kingdom  of  God  as  at  hand,  yet  it  was 
only  then  beginning,  only  then  set  up  (Dan.  ii.  44) :  its 
coming  Jesus  taught  His  disciples  to  pray  (Lord's  Prayer) 
and  work  for,  as  a  something  prolonged.  It  was  not 
immediately  to  appear  in  splendor  and  all-prevailing 
power,  but  Jesus  was  to  go  away  for  long,  yet  really  to 
receive  for  Himself  a  kingdom  (i  Cor.  xv.  25)  and  to 
return.  So  then  there  would  needs  be  waiting  for  Him 
and  working  for  the  kingdom. 

13.  And  he  called  ten  servants  of  his,  and  gave  them  ten  pounds,  and 
said  unto  them,  Trade  ye  /lerewitk  till  I  come. 

13.  Ten  servants  here  represent  the  whole  number, 
just  as  the  ten  virgins  do.  These  were  servants  of  his, 
standing  in  a  special  and  near  relation.  They  were  his. 
He  gave  them  ten  pounds  (the  Greek  word  is  /^va,  Latin 
inina,  amounting  to  about  $15  of  our  money).  This  was 
a  small  amount — but  he  that  is  faithful  in  that  which  is 
least  is  faithful  also  in  much.  An  equal  amount  was 
given  to  each.  In  the  other  parable  none  got  less  than 
"a  talent,"  worth  sixty  times  as  much  ;  and  one  got  ten 
of  these  and  another  five,  "  according  to  their  several 
ability." 

The  orders  given  were,  trade  ye  herewith.  The  Lord 
will  have  His  sQVVdints  busy.     There  is  something  for  them 


XIX.  I3-IS-]  CHAPTER  XIX.  353 

to  do.  There  is  no  place  for  idle  "  Christians."  This 
occupation  is  for  their  sakes  and  for  the  Lord's.  Saul, 
smitten  to  the  ground,  cries,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have 
me  to  do  ?  "  And  in  the  judgment,  as  described  in  Matt. 
XXV.  31-46,  the  rule  of  the  award  is,  "Inasmuch  as  ye 
did  it "  and  ''  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not."  So  the  Lord 
says  (Rev.  xxii.  12),  "Behold,  I  come  quickly;  and  my 
reward  is  with  me,  to  give  every  man  according  as  his 
work  shall  be."  Yes,  do  business,  trade  ye  for  your  Lord, 
looking  for  Him  as  well  as  to  Him  !  This  is  the  business 
of  life.  They  who  are  in  any  other  may  well  inquire,  "  Is 
life  worth  living?"  Till  I  come.  More  ^exactly,  ivJiilc  I 
am  coining.  (See  2  Pet.  iii.  12.)  The  pound  represents 
the  person's  abilities  and  opportunities  for  the  Lord's 
service. 

14.  But  his  citizens  hated  him,  and  sent  an  ambassage  after  him,  saying, 
We  will  not  that  this  man  reign  over  us. 

14.  Here,  and  in  ver.  27,  there  is  an  element  that  is  not 
introduced  into  the  parable  of  the  talents  at  all.  His 
citizens  are  a  different  class  from  "  his  servants."  These 
represent,  primarily,  those  of  Jesus'  own  nation — "  He 
came  unto  his  own  and  they  that  were  his  own  received 
him  not  " — and,  secondarily,  all  who  are  not  and  will  not 
be  his  servants.  They  hated  him.  This  represents  all 
who  hate  Him,  all  who  prefer  some  other  rule  to  Christ's 
rule.  We  will  noi  have  it  that  this  man  (so  they  speak  of 
Him  contemptuousl)/)  reign  over  us — such  an  ambassage, 
formal  message,  they  sent  after  him.  This  is  the  re- 
sponse unbelievers  make  to  Jesus'  claims. 

15.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  was  come  back  again,  having  received 
the  kingdom,  that  he  commanded  these  servants,  unto  whom  he  had  given 
the  money,  to  be  called  to  him,  that  he  might  know  what  they  had  gained 
by  trading. 

15.  There  is  another  side  to  the  situation  when  he  was 
25 


354  ^^^  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xix.  15-17. 

come  back  again  with  all  His  professions  verified,  having 
received  the  kingdom.  He  comes  back  to  rule.  He  will 
set  right  His  kingdom.  He  will  "gather  out  of  it  all 
things  that  cause  stumbling,  and  them  that  do  iniquity  " 
(Matt.  xiii.  41).  See  ver.  27.  But  first  He  will  reckon 
with  the  servants  who  had  been  entrusted  with  the 
pounds,  to  know  what  they  had  gained  by  trading,  how 
they  had  carried  on  their  business.  "  Each  one  of  us 
shall  give  account  of  himself  to  God  "  (Rom.  xiv.  12),  an 
account  of  his  activities.  Such  activities  will  tell  of  the 
character,  will  indicate  the  reality,  sincerity  and  devotion 
of  the  service. 

16,  17.  And  the  first  came  before  him,  saying,  Lord,  thy  pound  hath 
made  ten  pounds  more.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Well  done,  thou  good  ser- 
vant:  because  thou  wast  found  faitliful  in  a  very  little,  have  thou  authority 
over  ten  cities. 

16.  The  first  servant  that  answered  the  call  was  first 
also  in  results.  Ten  pounds  more  he  joyfully  reported, 
acknowledging  that  the  principal  had  been  thy  pound. 
He  calls  him  Lord,  and  owns  his  right.  This  was  a  fine 
increase — a  thousand  per  cent.,  as  the  traders  to-day 
would  reckon. 

17.  The  pleased  lord  said.  Well  done,  and  pronounced 
him  a  good  servant.  The  man  had  proved  his  character 
and  faithfulness :  and  his  reward  did  not  end  with  com- 
mendation. Faithful  in  a  very  little — "  a  pound,"  fifteen 
dollars — have  thou  authority,  said  the  returned  king, 
making  him  now  also  a  lord,  over  ten  cities.  The  reward 
was  proportionate  to  the  fidelity  to  trust  committed,  but 
was  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  service  rendered,  being 
vastly  more  than  principal  and  interest.  So  God's  re- 
wards, though  according  to  our  deeds,  are  infinitely  above 
them  in  their  gracious  abundance.  The  coloring  of  the 
parable  is  from  trade  and  political  economy :  the  ruling 


XIX.  17-21.]  CHAPTER  XIX.  355 

over  cities  was  a  great  advance  over  trading  with  an  en- 
trusted pound. 

18,  19.  And  the  second  came,  saying,  Thy  pound,  Lord,  hath  made  five 
pounds.     And  he  said  unto  him  also.  Be  thou  also  over  five  cities. 

18,  19.  The  second  came  with  a  good  report  of  five 
pounds  gained.  The  lord  does  not  address  this  one  with 
the  same  words  of  commendation  as  he  did  the  first  one  : 
perhaps  this  servant  might  have  done  better  ;  perhaps  he 
was  not  as  zealous  and  active  a  trader  as  the  first.  But 
his  reward  was  proportionate,  be  thou  also  over  five  cities. 

20,  21.  And  another  came,  saying.  Lord,  Behold,  here  is  thy  pound, 
which  I  kept  laid  up  in  a  napkin  :  for  I  feared  thee,  because  thou  art  an 
austere  man  :  thou  takest  up  that  thou  layedst  not  down,  and  reapest  that 
thou  didst  not  sow. 

20.  Now  another  came,  a  different  sort  of  person  from 
the  other  two.  All  he  had  to  offer  was  thy  pound,  the 
original  trust.      He  says  he  kept  it  laid  up   in  a  napkin. 

The  original  of  "  napkin  "  means  sivcat-clotJi.  This  lazy 
fellow  had  no  sweat  to  Avipe  off,  and  so  misapplied  his 
handkerchief  to  tie  up  and  hide  away  what  he  had  been 
told  to  trade  with. 

21.  He  is  not  only  lazy,  but  impudently  slanderous. 
He  charges  his  lord  with  being  an  austere  man  who  acted 
arbitrarily  and  made  unjust  demands,  in  short  with  being 
an  exactor,  as  bad  as  a  publican.  Thus  many  men  think 
and  some  speak  of  God.  They  think  of  Him  as  a  task- 
master rather  than  as  a  father,  as  severe,  hard,  self-willed 
in  a  bad  sense,  a  tyrant.  This  their  view  comes  from 
their  cultivated  evil  nature,  which  is  averse  from  God,  out 
of  fellowship  with  Him  through  sin. 

22.  23.  He  saith  unto  him  Out  of  thine  own  mouth  will  I  judge  thee, 
thou  wicked  servant,     Thou  knewest  that  I  am  an  austere  man,  taking  up 


356  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xix.  2^-24. 

that  I  laid  not  down,  and  reaping  that  I  did  not  sow;  then  wherefore 
gavest  thou  not  my  money  into  the  bank,  and  I  at  my  coming  should  have 
required  it  with  interest  ? 

22,  23.  His  lord  calls  him  a  wicked  servant,  and  pro- 
poses to  judge  him  on  his  own  terms  :  out  of  thine  own 
mouth,  from  what  thou  hast  just  said,  will  I  judge  thee. 
Thou  knewest  (so  thou  sayest)  me  to  be  an  austere,  hard 
man,  exacting  and  unmerciful,  then  wherefore  not  act 
accordingly,  why  didst  thou  not  trade  actively  with  my 
money,  and  I,  at  my  coming,  should  have  required  it 
with  interest?  That  would  have  been  the  politic  way  of 
doing,  were  the  lord  such  a  man  as  this  servant  now  said 
he  was.  But  the  fact  is  this  servant's  excuse  was  all  a 
vain  pretence  the  outcome  of  a  dissatisfied,  rebellious 
heart.  Such  a  servant  must  have  been  a  stumbling  block 
among  the  rest,  as  is  such  a  "Christian"  in  the  Church, 
You  lazy  grumbler,  that  do  nothing  but  complain,  your 
empty  words  will  be  shown  up  at  the  last  day  and  your 
slanders  will  recoil  on  your  own  head  !  The  excuses  men 
make  up  for  not  serving  God  will  not  bear  the  light. 
They  are  as  unreasonable  as  false  in  their  logic. 

24-26.  And  he  said  unto  them  that  stood  by,  Take  away  from  him  the 
pound,  and  give  it  unto  him  that  hath  the  ten  pounds.  And  they  said  unto 
him,  Lord,  he  hath  ten  pounds.  I  say  unto  you,  that  unto  every  one  that 
hath  shall  be  given ;  but  from  him  that  hath  not,  even  that  which  he  hath 
shall  be  taken  away  from  him. 

24.  The  lord  made  them  that  stood  by,  who  did  not 
belong  to  the  ten  servants,  but  belonged  elsewhere  in  the 
kingdom — perhaps  they  were  angels — the  executioners  of 
the  sentence,  which  was,  Take  away  from  him  the  pound, 
the  ability,  the  opportunity  which  by  God's  grace  he  had, 
but  had  not  prized  and  used,  and  give  it  unto  him  that 
hath  the  ten  pounds,  to  the  one  who  has  proved  himself 
most  faithful. 


XIX.  2  5-28.]  CHAPTER  XIX.  337 

25,  26.  And  when  those  bystanders  objected  that  he 
hath  ten  pounds  already,  the  law  of  the  kingdom  was 
plainly  laid  down  as  increase  to  every  one  that  hath,  and 
a  taking  away  of  even  that  which  he  hath  from  the  im- 
provident, lazy,  do-less  one  that  hath  not  anything  to 
show  for  what  has  been  entrusted  to  him,  no  fruit. 
"  Every  branch  in  me  that  beareth  not  fruit,  he  taketh  it 
away  "  (John  xv.  2).  There  is  a  balance  sheet  of  gain  and 
loss  in  spiritual  trading  as  in  natural  dealings  ;  if  there  is 
no  gain  there  will  be  loss  ;  if  there  is  diligence,  there  will 
be  gain  ;  if  there  is  slothfulness  and  neglect,  there  will  be 
loss  until  all  is  gone. 

27.  Howbeit  these  mine  enemies,  which  would  not  that  I  sliould  reign 
over  them,  bring  hither,  and  slay  them  before  me. 

27.  After  dealing  with  the  servants,  the  lord  turned  his 
attention  to  the  citizens  of  ver.  14,  these  mine  enemies, 
bring  hither.  The  executors  were  the  same  as  before. 
The  returned   lord   has   power.     Slay   them    before  me. 

Those  who  will  not  be  ruled  in  the  kingdom,  will  be  ruined. 
"  Upon  whomsoever  this  stone  shall  fall,  it  will  scatter 
him  as  dust  "  (Luke  xx.  18).  This  refers,  as  before  said, 
primarily  to  the  rebellious  Jews.  In  the  next  generation 
Jerusalem  was  drenched  with  their  blood  and  their  power 
was  utterly  destroyed.  "  The  day  of  vengeance  of  our 
God  "  (Is.  Ixi.  2),  belongs  also  to  the  coming  kingdom. 

28.  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  went  on  before,  going  up  to 
Jerusalem. 

28.  After  the  utterance  of  this  parable  Jesus  proceeded 
on  His  journey  to  Jerusalem  (ix.  51),  going  on  before  His 
disciples,  as  their  Master  and  leader.  Without  recounting 
His  stay  at  Bethany  of  a  day  and  a  half,  including  the 
Sabbath  day,  of  which  we  learn  from  the  other   Evangel- 


358  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xix.  28-38. 

ists,  Luke  goes  on  at  once  with  Jesus'  triumphal  entry  into 
Jerusalem. 

29-38.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  drew  nigh  unto  Bethphage  and 
Bethany,  at  the  mount  that  is  called  the  jnojint  of  Olives,  he  sent  two  of  the 
disciples,  saying.  Go  your  way  into  the  village  over  against  yoti ;  in  the 
which  as  ye  enter  ye  shall  find  a  colt  tied,  whereon  no  man  ever  yet  sat : 
loose  him,  and  bring  him.  And  if  any  one  ask  you,  Why  do  ye  loose  him  .' 
thus  shall  ye  say,  The  Lord  hath  need  of  him.  And  they  that  were  sent 
went  away,  and  found  even  as  he  had  said  unto  them.  And  as  they  were 
loosing  the  colt,  the  owners  thereof  said  unto  them,  Why  loose  ye  the 
colt.'  And  they  said.  The  Lord  hath  need  of  him.  And  they  brought  him 
to  Jesus  :  and  they  threw  their  garments  upon  the  colt,  and  set  Jesus  there- 
on. And  as  he  went,  they  spread  their  garments  in  the  way.  And  as  he 
was  now  drawing  nigh,  ez't'/i  at  the  descent  of  the  mount  of  Olives,  the 
whole  multitude  of  the  disciples  began  to  rejoice  and  praise  God  with  a 
loud  voice  for  all  the  mighty  works  which  they  had  seen  ;  saying.  Blessed 
ts  the  King  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord :  peace  in  heaven,  and 
glory  in  the  highest. 

See  on  Matt.  xxi.  1-9;  Mark  xi.  i-io;  John  xii.  12-19. 

33.  Luke  alone  says  it  was  the  owners  of  the  animal 
that  put  the  question  to  them  who  were  loosing  it. 

37,  38.  They  had  now  come  nigh  enough  to  see  the 
city  stretched  in  a  beautiful  panorama  before  them. 
They  were  at  the  descent  of  the  mount  of  Olives.  The 
whole  scene  was  enrapturing  :  the  attendant  circumstances 
were  such  as  to  excite  enthusiasm  ;  the  hearts  of  the  be- 
lievers in  Jesus  were  full  of  high  hopes  that  He  would  now 
be  made  king.  It  was  these,  the  whole  multitude  of  the 
disciples,  that  now  began  to  rejoice  and  praise  God  with  a 
loud  voice,  putting  forth  all  their  pent-up  enthusiasm,  re- 
calling all  the  mighty  works  which  they  had  seen,  which, 
along  with  His  teachings,  distinguished  Jesus  above  any 
person  of  their  time  or  age.  And  they  shouted  in  glad 
acclaim,  now  from  the  crowd  ahead  of  Him  and  then  re- 
sponsively  from  that  which  followed,  Blessed  is  the  King 
that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  a  shout  taken  from 


XIX.  3S-40.]  CHAPTER    XIX.  359 

Ps.  cxviii.  26,  and  generally  acknowledged  among  the 
Jews  as  referring  to  the  Messiah,  the  Hope  of  Israel. 
And  as  the  angels  at  Jesus'  birth  sang  ''  peace  on  earth," 
this  multitude  of  hoping,  excited  men,  celebrating  the 
same  glorious  personage,  cried  peace  in  heaven.  Alto- 
gether it  was  a  peaceful  celebration  of  the  King  of  Peace. 
And  angels  and  men  united  in  the  doxology,  glory  in  the 
highest.  It  is  meet  and  right  that  heaven  and  earth 
rejoice  together  over  Him  who  united  in  Himself  the 
human  and  the  divine,  restoring  man  from  his  fall  to  fel- 
lowship with  God  again.  Whilst  these  rejoicing  disciples 
said  things  of  deepest  meaning  and  things  most  appro- 
priate, in  their  jubilation,  yet  doubtless  they  were  mis- 
taken in  their  views  of  the  kind  of  king  Jesus  would  be 
and  of  the  methods  whereby  He  would  establish  His 
kingdom.  These  disciples  were  likely  among  those  who 
thought  the  kingdom  of  God  would  immediately  appear, 
and  who  had  not  yet  settled  down  to  the  teachings  Jesus 
gave  them  in  the  parable  of  the  pounds. 

39,  40.  And  some  of  the  Pharisees  from  the  multitude  said  unto  him, 
Master,  rebuke  thy  disciples.  And  he  answered  and  said,  I  tell  you  that, 
if  these  shall  hold  their  peace,  the  stones  will  cry  out. 

39.  Some  of  the  Pharisees  there  were  all  taken  aback 
at  this  new  situation  of  Jesus.  Surely  He  is  now  on  the 
tidal  wave  of  popular  regard  and  is  going  triumphantly 
into  Jerusalem  !  He  whom  the  rulers  are  plotting 
against,  ready  even  now  to  take  Him  and  put  Him  to 
death,  see.  He  seems  to  have  the  best  of  the  situation  I 
He  is  having  success  right  under  the  eyes  and  in  the 
teeth  of  the  rulers  who  hate  Him  !  Master,  that  is, 
Teacher,  said  they,  suggesting  propriety  to  Him,  rebuke 
thy  disciples.     Stop  this  jubilation  ;  it  is  unseemly. 

40.  Jesus'  reply  is  a  very  telling  one.  There  is  much 
instruction   in  it.     I  tell  you,  He  says  to  them,  with  con- 


360  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xix.  40-42. 

scious  authority,  if  these  shall  hold  their  peace,  if  they 
praise  me  not,  the  stones  will  cry  out.  For  here  I  must 
be  praised.  Jesus'  words  were  somewhat  of  a  proverbial 
nature,  yet  they  may  have  had  a  reference  to  the  coming 
time,  looked  to  in  the  following  verses,  when  the  ruined 
heaps  of  Jerusalem  would  testify  to  His  word  and  against 
the  Jews'  rejection  of  Him.  Perhaps  just  then  the  walls 
of  the  city  and  temple  were  re-echoing  the  disciples' 
jubilant  shouts.  Stop  these,  and  those  walls  will  in  an- 
other way  cry  out  in  witness  to  Jesus. 

41,  42.  And  when  he  drew  nigh,  he  saw  the  city  and  wept  over  it,  Say- 
ing, If  thou  hadst  known  in  this  day,  even  thou,  the  things  which  belong 
unto  peace  !  but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes. 

41.  Amid  this  great  throng  the  many  were  rejoicing, 
a  few  were  angry  and  indignant,  only  one  was  sorrowful. 
This  was  Jesus.  The  sight  of  the  city  drew  tears  from 
His  eyes.  He  wept  over  it  with  great  emotion.  The 
word  here  used  in  the  original  is  different  from  the  one 
in  that  shortest  verse  of  the  Bible,  "  Jesus  wept,"  in  the 
account  of  Lazarus'  resurrection.  It  denotes  a  breaking 
forth  in  weeping.  O  what  a  sight,  the  blessed  Jesus 
thus!  But  it  was  not  for  Himself  or  because  of  what 
He  was  soon  to  suffer, 

42.  If  thou  hadst  known — or,  O  that  thou  hadst  known 
— said  He,  addressing  Jerusalem,  in  this  day  when  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness  is  shining  on  thee,  around  thee, 
within  thee,  this  day  of  privilege  and  opportunity,  day 
of  thy  merciful  visitation  (ver.  44),  even  thou,  the  capital 
city,  the  temple  city,  standing  representative  of  Judaism 
and  Israel,  the  things  which  belong  unto  peace  !  Peace 
He  was  going  to  leave  to  His  disciples,  but  not  to  Jeru- 
salem. Her  peace,  henceforth,  was  all  in  her  name. 
Called  a  "  habitation  of  peace  "  (Jerusalem),  she  shall 
not  know  peace,  since  she  knew  not  the  Prince  of  Peace. 


XIX.  42-44-]  CHAPTER    XIX.  361 

For  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes.  Jerusalem's  day 
of  grace  was  ended.  Jesus  wept  because  it  was  inevitably 
so.  When  people  persistently  close  their  eyes  to  op- 
portunity set  before  them,  they  will  one  day  look  in  vain 
for  that  opportunity. 

43,  44.  For  the  days  shall  come  upon  thee,  when  thine  enemies  shall 
cast  up  a  bank  about  thee,  and  compass  thee  round,  and  keep  thee  in  on 
every  side.  And  shall  dash  thee  to  the  ground,  and  thy  children  within 
thee;  and  they  shall  not  leave  in  thee  one  stone  upon  another;  because 
thou  knewest  not  the  time  of  thy  visitation. 

43,  44.  The  days  shall  come  upon  thee.  History  says 
they  came  in  the  year  70  A.  D.,  about  forty  years  from 
the  time  when  Jesus  spoke  these  words.  Thine  enemies, 
the  Romans,  under  Titus,  shall  cast  up  a  bank  .  .  . 
compass  thee  round,  .  .  .  keep  thee  in  on  every  side. 
A  very  vivid  detailed  account  of  the  siege  of  the  city, 
which  was  made  most  effectual  by  the  determined  and 
exasperated  Romans.  Dash  thee  to  the  ground,  and 
thy  children  within  thee.  Josephus,  a  distinguished 
Jew  and  a  high  military  of^cer  among  them,  was  taken 
prisoner  and  kept  in  the  Roman  camp,  often  acting  as 
a  negotiator  between  the  belligerent  parties.  An  eye- 
witness of  the  whole  siege,  he  wrote  a  history  of  the 
"  Jewish  War,"  and  though  he  is  properly  classed  as 
against  Christ,  yet  his  history  verifies  Jesus'  prophecy  to 
the  letter  and  shows  with  what  particular  exactness  Jesus 
spoke  here  and  in  the  longer  discourse  in  chap.  xxi. 
(Matt.  xxiv.).  Thy  children,  though  understood  by  some 
literally,  probably  means  thy  inhabitants — people  as  well 
as  things  shall  be  dashed  to  the  ground  in  fearful  de- 
struction. And  they  shall  not  leave  in  thee  one  stone 
upon  another.  This  is  in  the  nature  of  a  proverbial  ex- 
pression, yet  it  was,  in  the  course  of  time,  almost  literally 
fulfilled.     Jerusalem  was  destroyed  utterly  and  its   ruins 


362  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xix.  44-46. 

plowed  over.  "There  is  a  divinity  that  shapes  our  ends," 
Shakespeare  says.  "  The  Lord  reigneth,"  the  Bible  says. 
"  Things  come  to  pass  according  to  the  invariable  laws 
of  nature,"  the  deist  and  atheist  say.  *'  Things  cannot 
occur  differently  from  what  does  occur,"  the  fatalist  says. 
Because  thou  knewest  not  the  time  of  thy  visitation, 
Jesus  says  to  Jerusalem,  giving  a  reason  for  the  things 
He  prophesied  and  referring  all  to  the  providential  gov- 
ernment of  God.  (See  ver.  42.)  God  visited  the  world, 
and  particularly  Jerusalem  and  Israel,  with  redemption  : 
but  He  did  not  force  His  grace  upon  them.  The  Romans, 
however,  forced  them  to  destitution,  destruction  and 
nothingness,  and  God  was  with  the  Roman  eagles  in 
judgment. 

45,  46.  And  he  entered  into  the  temple,  and  began  to  cast  out  them  that 
sold,  saying  unto  them,  It  is  written.  And  my  house  shall  be  a  house  of 
prayer:  but  ye  have  made  it  a  den  of  robbers. 

45,  46.  Into  the  temple.  The  religious  centre  of  the 
nation  and  of  the  city  of  God's  true  w^orship,  thus  far  in 
the  history.  God  Himself  had  chosen  the  site  of  the 
temple  and  appointed  its  services.  A  house  of  prayer  it 
was  to  be,  of  communion  with  God.  The  little  Jesus 
was  found  there,  and  the  great  Master  always  resorted 
thither  when  in  Jerusalem.  But  money-loving  men  had 
made  it  a  den  of  robbers,  making  secular  what  was  sacred 
and  establishing  shops  in  the  temple's  courts.  It  matters 
not  that  what  was  sold  pertained  to  the  temple  and  the 
needs  of  worshippers  ;  the  sellers  sold  for  money,  sought 
for  gain,  and  robbed  God  of  His  own.  At  the  very  be- 
ginning of  His  ministry  (John  ii.  13-17)  Jesus  had  simi- 
larly cleansed  the  temple,  but  three  years  had  sufficed  to 
restore  the  bartering  again  and  the  sacrilege.  So  at  its 
close,  Luke  says,  without  going  into  details  as  Matt. 
(xxi.  12-16)  and  Mark  (xi.  15-18)  have  done.   He  began 


XIX.  46-48.]  CHAPTER  XIX.  2>^7^ 

to  cast  out  them  that  sold.  See  what  regard  Jesus  had 
for  God's  house  and  worship,  and  for  what  is  written. 
Yet  there  are  some  in  these  times  who  consider  the 
Jewish  temple  worship,  though  divinely  ordained,  as 
"  ritualism  !  "  And  are  there  none  now  who,  though 
maybe  in  less  manifest  ways,  turn  a  house  of  prayer  into 
a  den  of  robbers  ? 

47,  48.  And  he  was  teaching  daily  in  the  temple.  But  the  chief  priests 
and  the  scribes  and  the  principal  men  of  the  people  sought  to  destroy  him  : 
and  they  could  not  find  what  they  might  do ;  for  the  people  all  hung  upon 
him,  listening. 

47,  48.  Teaching  daily  in  the  temple  indicates  Jesus' 
habit  and  sets  us  a  worthy  example.  Ought  it  not  to 
bring  more  teachers  into  the  Sunday-school  ? 

Notice  that  whilst  the  chief  priests  and  the  scribes 
held  together  in  fast  and  increasing  opposition  and  hatred 
to  Jesus,  it  was  only  the  principal  men  of  the  people  who 
sided  with  them,  whereas  the  people  themselves  all  hung 
upon  him,  listening.  The  expression  here  is  very  strong, 
and  sufficiently  familiar.  We  speak  of  rapt  attention  as 
a  hanging  upon  the  speaker's  lips.  Jesus  was  popular, 
but  not  with  the  bosses.  His  very  popularity  was  their 
incitement  to  His  ruin,  which  they  were  determined  to 
accomplish  at  all  hazards.  And  there  have  since  been 
disciples  that  have  fared  no  better  than  their  Master,  at 
the  hands  of  unscrupulous,  jealous,  envious  men  who 
have  happened  to  be  temporarily  in  places  of  power. 
But  it  makes  no  matter  who  are  with  us  or  against  us,  or 
with  whom  we  are,  if  only  we  are  on  the  side  of  Jesus. 
Where  do  you  stand  ? 


CHAPTER  XX. 

1-19.  And  it  came  to  pass,  on  one  of  the  days,  as  he  was  teaching  the 
people  in  the  temple,  and  preaching  the  gospel,  there  came  upon  him  the 
chief  priests  and  the  scribes  with  the  elders ;  and  they  spake,  saying  unto 
him.  Tell  us :  By  what  authority  doest  thou  these  things  ?  or  who  is  he 
that  gave  thee  this  authority  ?  And  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  I 
also  will  ask  you  a  question  ;  and  tell  me  :  The  baptism  of  John,  was  it 
from  heaven,  or  from  men  ?  And  they  reasoned  with  themselves,  saying. 
If  we  shall  say.  From  heaven ;  he  will  say,  Why  did  ye  not  believe  him  ? 
But  if  we  shall  say.  From  men  ;  all  the  people  will  stone  us  :  for  they  be 
persuaded  that  John  was  a  prophet.  And  they  answered,  that  they  knew 
not  whence  it  was.  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Neither  tell  I  you  by  what 
authority  I  do  these  things. 

And  he  began  to  speak  unto  the  people  this  parable  :  A  man  planted  a 
vineyard,  and  let  it  out  to  husbandmen,  and  went  into  another  country  for 
a  long  time.  And  at  the  season  he  sent  unto  the  husbandmen  a  servant, 
that  they  should  give  him  of  the  fruit  of  the  vineyard  :  but  the  husbandmen 
beat  him,  and  sent  him  away  empty.  And  he  sent  yet  another  servant : 
and  him  also  they  beat,  and  handled  him  shamefully,  and  sent  him  away 
empty.  And  he  sent  yet  a  third  :  and  him  also  they  wounded,  and  cast 
him  forth.  And  the  lord  of  the  vineyard  said,  What  shall  I  do .'  I  will 
send  my  beloved  son  :  it  may  be  they  will  reverence  him.  But  when  the 
husbandmen  saw  him,  they  reasoned  one  with  another,  saying,  This  is  the 
heir  :  let  us  kill  him,  that  the  inheritance  may  be  ours.  And  they  cast  him 
forth  out  of  the  vineyard  and  killed  him.  What  therefore  will  the  lord  of 
the  vineyard  do  unto  them  ?  lie  will  come  and  destroy  the  husbandmen, 
and  will  give  the  vineyard  unto  others.  And  when  they  heard  it,  they  said, 
God  forbid.  But  he  looked  upon  them,  and  said,  What  then  is  this  that  is 
written. 

The  stone  which  the  builders  rejected. 

The  same  was  made  the  head  of  the  comer  ? 

Every  one  that  falleth  on  that  stone  shall  be  broken  to  pieces  ;  but  on 
whomsoever  it  shall  fall,  it  will  scatter  him  as  dust. 

And  the  scribes  and  the  chief  priests  sought  to  lay  hands  on  him  in  that 
very  hour;  and  they  feared   the  people  :  for  they  perceived  that  he  spake 
this  parable  against  them. 
364 


XX.  i-ip.]  CHAPTER  XX.  365 

See  on  Matt.  xxi.  33  to  xxii.  14 ;  Mark  xi.  27  to  xii.  12. 

I.  Luke  says,  very  generically,  on  one  of  the  days,  i.  e. 
of  this  last  visit  of  Jesus  to  Jerusalem,  so  long  an  account 
of  His  journey  to  make  which  Luke  has  given.  The  Har- 
monists make  it  Tuesday  before  the  crucifixion,  to  which 
day  they  assign  a  larger  mass  of  our  Lord's  teaching  than 
to  any  other  single  day  of  His  ministry.  As  usual  He 
was  teaching  the  people,  and  preaching  the  gospel. 
Jealous  of  His  influence,  the  officials  tried  to  interfere, 
questioning  the  Lord's  authority,  but  were  skilfully 
silenced  by  Him.  The  Son  is  again  in  His  Father's 
house  (comp.  ii.  46-49). 

6.  All  the  people  will  stone  us.  A  clear  confession 
that  they  and  the  people  were  not  agreed  ;  the  people 
were  more  open  to  truth  than  they  ;  the  people,  in  their 
way,  stood  by  John  as  a  divine  messenger. 

9.  Unto  the  people,  Luke  says,  though  the  parable  was 
directed  against  the  false  leaders  of  the  people,  as  these 
readily  perceived  (ver.  19)  and  were  still  further  inflamed 
against  Him.  For  a  long  time.  "  Between  the  people's 
extrance  into  Canaan  and  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
by  the  Romans  more  than  1 500  years  intervened  " 
(Bengel). 

16.  Luke  alone  gives  their  objecting  prayer,  God 
forbid,  which  is  more  exactly  translated,  Zr/  it  )iot  come  to 
pass. 

17.  But  he  looked  upon  them  with  a  significant,  search- 
ing, grave  look,  and  said,  What  then — if  there  is  anything 
in  your  objecting  prayer — is  this  that  is  written  ?  and 
then  He  proceeded  to  quote  the  Scriptures  against 
them,  confirmatory  of  His  words.  Jesus  stuck  to  the 
Scriptures. 

19,  In  that  very  hour,  says  Luke,  marking  the  time 
more  definitely  than  the  other  writers  here. 


366  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xx.  20-26. 

20-26.  And  they  watched  him,  and  sent  forth  spies,  which  feigned  them- 
selves to  be  righteous,  that  they  might  take  hold  of  his  speech,  so  as  to 
deliver  him  up  to  the  rule  and  to  the  authority  of  the  governor.  And  they 
asked  him,  saying,  Master,  we  know  that  thou  sayest  and  teachest  rightly, 
and  acceptest  not  the  person  of  any,h\i.toi  a  truth  teachest  the  way  of  God  : 
Is  it  lawful  for  us  to  give  tribute  unto  Cassar,  or  not .''  But  he  perceived 
their  craftiness,  and  said  unto  them.  Shew  me  a  penny.  Whose  image  and 
superscription  hath  it?  And  they  said,  Caesar's.  And  he  said  unto  them, 
Then  render  unto  Caesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar's,  and  unto  God  the 
things  that  are  God's.  And  they  were  not  able  to  take  hold  of  the  saying 
before  the  people  :  and  they  marvelled  at  his  answer,  and  held  their  peace. 

See  on  Matt.  xxii.  15-22  :   Mark  xii.  13-17. 

20.  Though  unable  "  in  that  very  hour  "  (ver.  19)  to 
accompHsh  their  hostile  purpose,  they  did  not  give  it  up, 
but  watched  for  an  opportunity,  and,  to  make  one,  sent 
forth  spies,  persons  instigated  to  a  certain  course,  put  up 
to  it,  which  feigned  themselves  to  be  righteous,  just 
men  who  sincerely  wanted  to  know  and  do  the  right,  not 
instigated  to  a  course  by  others.  They  were  sent  to  take 
hold  of  his  speech,  to  get  some  expression  from  His  lips, 
"  catch  him  in  talk  "  (Mark),  so  as — the  ultimate  design 
— to  deliver  him  up  to  the  secular  power  and  to  the 
authority  of  the  Roman  governor.  Anything  to  destroy 
Jesus!  Matthew  notes  that,  in  this  attempt,  the  Pha- 
risees associated  with  themselves  their  political  op- 
ponents, the  Herodians,  who  favored  the  Romans  :  and 
here  we  have  an  illustration  of  the  common  proverb  that 
politics  and  religion  make  strange  bed-fellows. 

22.  Tribute.  Luke  uses  the  proper  Greek  word  for 
that  tax  which  was  exacted  of  foreign,  subject  people. 
Matthew  and  Mark  use  a  Roman  word. 

23.  Craftiness.  Readiness  to  do  any  thing  to  accom- 
plish their  ends.  Matthew  calls  it  "wickedness,"  and 
Mark,  "  hypocrisy." 

26.  Luke  notes  the  people  as  still  in  the  way,  and 
strongly  puts  their  complete  discomfiture. 


XX.  27-36.]  CHAPTER  XX.  367 

27-40.  And  there  came  to  him  certain  of  the  .Sadducees,  they  which  say 
that  there  is  no  resurrection ;  and  they  asked  him,  saying,  Master,  Moses 
wrote  unto  us,  that  if  a  man's  brother  die,  having  a  wife,  and  he  be  childless, 
his  brother  should  take  the  wife,  and  raise  up  seed  unto  his  brother.  There 
were  therefore  seven  brethren  :  and  the  first  took  a  wife,  and  died  childless ; 
and  the  second;  and  the  third  took  her;  and  likewise  the  seven  also  left  no 
children,  and  died.  Afterward  the  woman  also  died.  In  the  resurrection 
therefore  whose  wife  of  them  shall  she  be  .'  for  the  seven  had  her  to  wife. 
And  Jesus  said  unto  them.  The  sons  of  this  world  marry,  and  are  given  in 
marriage :  but  they  that  are  accounted  worthy  to  attain  to  that  world,  and 
the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  neither  marry,  nor  are  given  in  marriage  : 
for  neither  can  they  die  any  more  :  for  they  are  equa)  unto  the  angels ;  and 
are  sons  of  God,  being  sons  of  the  resurrection.  But  that  the  dead  are 
raised,  even  Moses  shewed,  in  the  place  concerning  the.  Bush,  when  he  call- 
eth  the  Lord  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of 
Jacob.  Now  he  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living:  for  all  live 
unto  him.  And  certain  of  the  scribes  answering  said.  Master,  thou  hast 
well  said.     For  they  durst  not  any  more  ask  him  any  question. 

See  on  Matt.  xxii.  23-33  I  Mark  xii.  18-27. 

34,  36.  This  world,  or  age,  period  of  existence,  order 
of  things,  is  here  contrasted,  in  respect  to  the  question  of 
the  Sadducees,  with  that  world,  that  age,  period  of 
existence,  order  of  things,  wliich  is  beyond,  the  eternal 
world.  Here  and  now  people  marry  and  are  given  in 
marriage,  according  to  the  purpose  and  ordinance  of 
God  (Gen.  i.  27,  28  ;  ii.  20-24  ;  Mark  x.  6-9),  which  is  to 
be  "  had  in  honor  among  all  "  (Heb.  xiii.  4).  But  this 
relation  belongs  to  this  world  or  age,  and  ends  with  it. 
They  that  are  accounted  worthy,  etc.,  clearly  refers  to 
the  justified,  the  saved,  without  any  mention  of  others. 
Whilst  there  will  be  a  resurrection  both  of  the  just  and 
the  unjust,  only  the  former  is  here  referred  to.  The 
participants  in  it  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in 
marriage,  whatever  peculiarities  of  sex  they  may  have, 
of  which  nothing  is  here  said.  For,  giving  a  reason, 
neither,  or  not  even,  can  they  die  any  more,  they  are  no 
longer  mortal  and  need   not,    therefore,    reproduce   the 


368  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xx.  36,  37. 

species.  For,  whilst  not  angels,  they  are  equal  unto  the 
angels,  like  them,  who  came  into  being  in  their  full 
powers,  among  whom  there  never  were  parents  and  chil- 
dren. Doubtless  there  will  be  parents  and  children  in 
that  world,  but  having  become  so  before  their  entrance 
there.  They  all  are  sons  of  Qod,  immortal,  being  sons  of 
the  resurrection,  those  who  have  received  the  adoption 
for  which  they  waited,  even  the  resurrection  of  their 
bodies  (Rom.  viii.  23;  comp.  i  John  iii.  i,  2). 

37.  But,  aside  from  the  relations  sustained  to  one 
another  in  the  world  to  come,  the  fact  that  the  dead  are 
raised  is  proved  by  what  floses  showed,  uttered  as  a 
divine  oracle  {i/jirj>uf>z-^),  in  the  place  concerning  the 
Bush.  Exod.  iii.  2-6.  The  Lord  refers  them  to  the 
authority  whom  they  had  just  quoted  (ver.  28).  Divine 
names  are  never  empty  but  declare  those  to  whom 
they  are  given  to  possess  the  qualities  they  ascribe.  In 
the  place  quoted,  as  recorded  by  Moses,  God  called  Him- 
self the  God  of  Abraham,  etc.  That  is  His  covenant 
name,  by  which  He  was  always  to  be  known.  But  Abra- 
ham, Isaac  and  Jacob,  with  whom  God  had  made  "  a 
covenant  well  ordered  and  sure,"  had  died  "  not  having 
received  the  promises,"  yet  "in  faith"  (Heb.  xi.  13),  in 
Him  who  gave  them.  Their  dying,  however,  did  not  end 
their  existence  or  take  them  away  from  the  scope  of  those 
promises.  God,  speaking  at  the  Bush  was  still  their  God, 
and  is  still  their  God  to-day.  But  where  are  they  ? 
Waiting,  in  the  other  world,  God's  time,  waiting  for  the 
adoption,  the  redemption  of  their  bodies  (Rom.  viii.  23). 
Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob  were  ;//r;/,  representatives  of 
mankind,  not  merely  sou/s.  It  takes  body  and  soul  to 
compose  a  man.  These,  originally  united  in  a  perfect 
and  immortal  state  by  God,  have  been  separated  by  sin. 
But    God's    promise  in   redemption  refers  to   the  whole 


XX.  37-40-]  CHAPTER  XX.  369 

man,  and  embraces  body  as  well  as  soul ;  and  not  until 
the  bodies  of  their  humiliation,  long  since  returned  to 
dust  because  of  sin,  are  changed  into  the  likeness  of 
Christ's  glorified  body  (Phil.  iii.  21)  and  bear  the  image 
of  the  heavenly  as  before  they  did  that  of  the  earthly 
(i  Cor.  XV.  49),  of  the  second  Adam  as  before  it  did  that 
of  the  first  Adam  (i  Cor.  xv.  22,  45-49),  will  God's  cove- 
nant be  perfectly  fulfilled,  and  His  name  be  eternally  sus- 
tained in  honor  and  glory — a  thing  that  must  certainly 
be,  as  sure  as  God  is  God.  His  name  is  above  every 
name,  He  is  all  that  it  implies,  and  His  sons  shall  be  all 
that  their  name  and  relation  to  Him  implies.  The  resur- 
rection of  the  body  is,  therefore,  here  proved,  as  well  as 
the  continued  existence  of  men  in  the  world  to  come. 
This  point  seems  to  have  been  too  much  overlooked  by 
commentators. 

38.  All,  whether  in  this  world  or  the  next,  whether  we 
call  them  living  or  dead,  live  unto  him,  and  necessarily 
He  will  recover  their  bodies  to  them  by  the  resurrec- 
tion. 

39,  40.  So  completely  answered  were  they  who  had 
been  urging  Jesus  with  questions,  so  signally  they  all 
failed  to  gain  a  point  against  Him  from  His  talk,  that 
some  owned  up,  Master,  thou  hast  well  said,  whilst  all 
were  silenced  from  that  time  on.  It  does  not  report  the 
lawyer's  query  about  the  great  commandment  of  the  law. 
But  Jesus,  in  turn,  now  put  to  them  a  crucial  question, 
which  they  left  unanswered. 

41-44.     And  he  said  unto  them,  How  say  they  that  the  Christ  is  David's 
son  ?     For  David  himself  saith  in  the  book  of  Psalms, 
The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord, 
Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand, 

Till  I  make  thine  enemies  the  footstool  of  thy  feet. 
David  therefore  calleth  him  Lord,  and  how  is  he  his  son .-' 
24 


370  THE  GOSPEL  OE  ST.  LUKE.  [xx.  41-47. 

See  on  Matt.  xxii.  41-46,  Mark  xii.  35-37. 

Then  He  gave  a  fearful  denunciation  of  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees,  characterizing  them  as  hypocrites,  and, 
tearing  away  their  mask,  exposed  them  before  all. 

45-47.  And  in  the  hearing  of  all  the  people  he  said  unto  his  disciples, 
Beware  of  the  scribes,  which  desire  to  walk  in  long  robes,  and  love  saluta- 
tions in  the  marketplaces,  and  chief  seats  in  the  synagogues,  and  chief  places 
at  feasts ;  which  devour  widows'  houses,  and  for  a  pretence  make  long 
prayers :  these  shall  receive  greater  condemnation. 

See  on  Matt,  xxiii.  1-39,  Mark  xii.  38-40. 

Matthew,  who  wrote  for  Jews,  gives  this  tremendous 
address  in  full.  Mark  and  Luke,  who  writes  for  the  Gen- 
tiles, merely  announce  its  subject  in  brief  epitome. 

What  a  dreadful  state  of  things  when  people  must  be- 
ware of  those  who  occupy  seats  of  authoritative  teaching, 
because  of  their  self-seeking,  vain-glorious,  piously-preten- 
tious, hypocritical  character  !  Long  prayers  are  still  used 
to  cover  up  dastardly  doings,  but  still  secure  from  God 
greater  condemnation.  There  is  nothing  more  hateful 
before  God  and  men  than  pious  frauds.  Nor  can  "  con- 
science "  be  quoted  against  truth  :  God's  word  is  the 
only  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  life. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

1-4.  And  he  looked  up,  and  saw  the  rich  men  that  were  casting  their 
gifts  into  the  treasury.  And  he  saw  a  certain  poor  widow  casting  in  thither 
two  mites.  And  he  said,  Of  a  truth  I  say  unto  you.  This  poor  widow  cast 
in  more  than  they  all :  for  all  these  did  of  their  superfluity  cast  in  unto  the 
gifts :  but  she  of  her  want  did  cast  in  all  the  living  that  she  had. 

See  on  Mark  xii.  41-44. 

I,  2.  He  who  then  saw  now  sees,  and  makes  similar 
distinctions. 

3,  4.  How  did  He  know  this?  By  His  divine  knowl- 
edge, searcher  of  hearts  that  He  was  and  is.  Among  so 
many — all  these — she  stood  alone  as  truly  making  sacri- 
fice and  with  whole-souled  consecration — all  the  living 
that  she  had,  and  it  was  a  free-will  offering ! 

She  had  heard  God  say  (Jer.  xlix.  ii),  "Let  your 
widows  trust  in  me."  Poor  in  earthly  goods,  she  was 
rich  in  faith,  and  so  became  rich  in  good  works.  She  was 
an  heir  of  God,  and  so,  though  "  having  nothing,  yet  pos- 
sessing all  things  !"  It  must  have  been  a  pleasant  thing 
to  Jesus,  even  as  it  is  pleasant  to  us  to  read  it,  that,  amid 
the  ruling  hypocrisy  which  He  had  so  fearfully  to  de- 
nounce, something  commendable  met  His  eye  and  called 
forth  His  praise. 

Many  a  widow  and  poor  person  is  magnificent  in  giving, 
beyond  the  reach  of  anything  ever  done  by  millionaires, 
Peabodys  and  well-to-do  members  of  churches,  whose 
gifts  make  the  trumpets  resound  with  the  praise  of  men. 
The  true  measure  of  a  gift  of  benevolence  is  the  amount 

371 


372  THE  GOSPEL  OE  ST.  LUKE.  [xxi.  4-11. 

of  self-denial  and  sacrifice  that  is  in  it,  its  cost  to  us.  Cul- 
tivate in  yourself,  and  encourage  in  others,  tJic  grace  of 
giving,  and  remember  that  Jesus  is  still  sitting  over  against 
the  treasury,  noting  all  about  you  and  your  gifts. 

5-1 1.  And  as  some  spake  of  the  temple,  how  it  was  adorned  with  goodly 
stones  and  offerings,  he  said.  As  for  these  things  which  ye  behold,  the  days 
will  come,  in  which  there  shall  not  be  left  here  one  stone  upon  another, 
that  shall  not  be  thrown  down.  And  they  asked  him,  saying,  Master,  when 
therefore  shall  these  things  be  ?  and  what  shall  be  the  sign  when  these 
things  are  about  to  come  to  pass  ?  And  he  said,  Take  heed  that  ye  be  not 
led  astray :  for  many  shall  come  in  my  name,  saying,  I  am  he ;  and,  The 
time  is  at  hand :  go  ye  not  after  them.  And  when  ye  shall  hear  of  wars 
and  tumults,  be  not  terrified  :  for  these  things  must  needs  come  to  pass 
first ;  but  the  end  is  not  immediately. 

Then  said  he  unto  them.  Nation  shall  rise  against  nation,  and  kingdom 
against  kingdom  :  and  there  shall  be  great  earthquakes,  and  in  divers  places 
famines  and  pestilences ;  and  there  shall  be  terrors  and  great  signs  from 
heaven. 

See  on  Matt,  xxiv,  1-7  ;   Mark  xiii,   1-8. 

5.  Luke  alone  speaks  of  the  offerings,  things  laid  up 
there,  votive  offerings,  put  there  chiefly  by  heathens. 
Van  Oost.  thinks,  and  suggests  among  them  the  holy 
vessels  presented  by  the  Emperor  Augustus  and  other 
vessels  by  the  Egyptian  Philadelphus,  and  the  golden 
vine  by  Herod  the  Great, 

8.  The  time,  the  Messianic  time  or  occasion,  the  oppor- 
tune time. 

9.  These  things  first  is,  indeed,  the  divine  order,  but 
the  end  is  not  immediately  after  them.  The  time  is  not 
so  soon,  or  so  definitely  marked. 

II.  Luke  adds  pestilences  to  the  things  here  foretold, 
and  terrors,  things  that  frighten,  and  great  signs  from 
heaven. 

12-19.  But  before  all  these  things,  they  shall  lay  their  hands  on  you, 
and  shall  persecute  you,  delivering  you  up  to  the  synagogues  and  prisons. 


XXI.  12-19.]  CHAPTER  XXI.  373 

bringing  you  before  kings  and  governors  for  my  name's  sake.  Itsliall  turn 
unto  you  for  a  testimony.  Settle  it  tlierefore  in  your  hearts,  not  to  medi- 
tate beforehand  how  to  answer  :  for  1  will  give  you  a  mouth  and  wisdom, 
which  all  your  adversaries  shall  not  be  able  to  withstand  or  to  gainsay. 
But  ye  shall  be  delivered  up  even  by  parents,  and  brethren,  and  kinsfolk, 
and  friends  ;  and  some  of  you  shall  they  cause  to  be  put  to  death.  And  ye 
shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name's  sake.  And  not  a  hair  of  your  head 
shall  perish.     In  your  patience  ye  shall  win  your  souls. 

See  on  Matt,  xxiv.  8-10  ;   Mark  xiii.  9-13, 

12.  Before  all  these  things  seems,  from  the  parallel 
passages  and  whole  context,  to  indicate  before  all  these 
things  are  accomplished,  and  to  include  the  persecutions 
predicted  as  a  part  of  them. 

13.  It  shall  turn  .  .  .  testimony.  The  result  of  your 
persecutions  will  be  a  testimony  to  Christ  and  the  truth. 

14.  15.  Settle  it  .  .  .  not  to  meditate  beforehand. 
Very  decided  and  comforting  words  for  "  be  not  anxious 
beforehand  "  (Mark)  about  this  witness  you  are  to  give 
amid  persecutions  :  and  with  a  strong  reason — for  I,  in  the 
person  of  the  Holy  Spirit  (Mark),  over  against  your 
natural  anxiety  and  all  your  adversaries,  God,  will  be 
your  helper  then  with  mouth  to  speak,  utterance,  and 
wisdom  to  know  what  to  say  and  when.  (Comp.  Matt. 
X.  19-20.)     "  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us  ?  " 

18,  19.  These  verses  are  peculiar  to  Luke.  The  pro- 
verbial expression  (comp.  xii.  7),  not  a  hair,  etc.,  giving 
assurance  of  entire  safety,  cannot  refer  here  to  corporeal 
and  external  safety,  seeing  ver.  16  prophesied  death  to 
some,  but,  rather,  to  their  safety  as  Christians,  their  sal- 
vation. Though  they  lose  their  heads,  they  shall  be 
entirely  safe  and  saved.  Similarly,  in  your  patience,  en- 
durance, bearing  trustfully  and  heroically  the  afflictions 
predicted,  right  in  that  line  and  sphere  ye  shall  win,  and 
not  lose,  your  souls,  your  true  lives,  yourselves.  "  A 
paradox.    The  worldly  seek  their  soul's  safety  by  repelling 


374  I^HE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxi.  20-23. 

force   with    force.      Not    so   the   saints.     Rev.  xiii.  10" 
(Bengel). 

20-24.  But  when  ye  see  Jerusalem  compassed  with  armies,  then  know 
that  her  desolation  is  at  hand.  Then  let  them  that  are  in  Judaea  flee  unto 
the  mountains  ;  and  let  them  that  are  in  the  midst  of  her  depart  out ;  and 
let  not  them  that  are  in  the  country  enter  therein.  For  these  are  days  of 
vengeance,  that  all  things  which  are  written  may  be  fulfilled.  Woe  unto 
them  that  are  with  child  and  to  them  that  give  suck  in  those  days !  for 
there  shall  be  great  distress  upon  the  land,  and  wrath  unto  this  people. 
And  they  shall  fall  by  the  edge  of  the  sword,  and  shall  be  led  captive  into 
all  the  nations  .  and  Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  until 
the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled. 

See  on  Matt.  xxiv.  15-22;  Mark  xiii.  14-20. 

20.  But  when  takes  the  reader  back  to  the  close  of 
ver.  II,  and  comes  to  more  definite  things.  Whilst 
Matthew  and  Mark  speak  of  "  the  abomination  of  deso- 
lation," the  former  referring  to  "  Daniel  the  prophet," 
our  author,  writing  specially  for  the  Gentiles,  does  not 
use  this  expresion,  but,  with  great  plainness,  makes  the 
sight  of  Jerusalem  compassed  with  armies  the  sure  sign 
of  her  speedy  desolation,  in  response  to  what  we  read  in 
vers.  5-7.  This  sign  appeared  A.  D.  70,  when  the  Roman 
general  Titus  invested  the  city. 

21.  Flight,  departure,  avoidance  of  the  walled  city, 
would  then  be  the  course  of  safety. 

22.  Explanation  of  the  cause  of  Jerusalem's  desolation 
and  Judaism's  overthrow.  It  was  God's  vengeance, 
threatened  long,  away  back  in  Deut.  xxviii.  and  thence 
on  till  it  came  in  fury.  Long  delayed  by  a  most  long- 
suffering  God,  it  was  soon  to  come  in  such  measure  and 
kind  as  would  accomplish  all  things  written.  See  Jesus' 
tearful  lament  over  this  certainty  in  xix.  41-44. 

23.  24.  Upon  the  land  or,  better,  as  the  margin  gives  it, 
earth  in  general,  Avhilst  wrath  unto  this  people,  Israel,  is 
the  particular  designation.     See  in   preceding  vols.,  re- 


XXI.  24-26.]  CHAPTER  XXI. 


375 


ferred  to  above,  some  details  of  numbers  slain  and  taken 
captive  as  given  by  Josephus  in  his  Jewish  War.  Into 
all  the  nations.  Where  they  still  are.  It  is  said  that 
Frederick  the  Great  once  asked  a  chaplain  of  his  for  a 
short  proof  of  the  truth  of  Christianity  ;  and  he  replied, 
"  Your  Majesty,  the  Jc7vs  f  "  Ever  since  A.  D.  70  Jeru- 
salem has  been  trodden  down  under  foot  of  the  Gentiles, 
Romans,  Persians,  Arabs,  Crusaders,  Islamites,  who  still 
have  on  her  the  heel  of  despotism.  Until  the  times  of 
the  Gentiles,  their  period  of  occupation  in  fulfilment  of 
the  divine  vengeance,  be  fulfilled.  For  of  this,  too,  there 
shall  be  an  end,  close  on  to  the  end  of  the  world  or  aee. 

o 

26,  27.  And  there  shall  be  signs  in  sun  and  moon  and  stars ;  and  upon 
the  earth  distress  of  nations,  in  perplexity  for  the  roaring  of  the  sea  and  the 
billows  ;  men  fainting  for  fear,  and  for  expectation  of  the  things  which  are 
coming  on  the  world  :  for  the  powers  of  the  heavens  shall  be  shaken.  And 
then  shall  they  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  a  cloud  with  power  and  great 
glory. 

See  on  Matt.  xxiv.  29-31  ;  Mark  xiii.  24-27. 

25,  26.  Here  there  is  again  a  turn  in  the  discourse 
from  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  to  the  Parousia  or 
coming  again  of  the  Son  of  man.  Physical  signs  are 
predicted  of  that  event.  Prophecy  is  understood  by  the 
event,  and  cannot  be  interpreted  like  history  or  doctrine. 
These  signs  we  take  to  be  literal  as  well  as  tropical,  the 
seen  foreboding  the  unseen.  Luke  notes  the  signs  in 
the  heavens  in  common  with  Matthew  and  Mark,  and 
adds  those  upon  the  earth.  Nations  comprehensively 
and  men  individually  will  be  in  distress  and  fear.  The 
perplexity  of  the  former  will  arise  from  the  roaring  of 
the  sea  and  the  billows.  The  allegorical  expositors 
interpret  this  of  tumults  of  the  people.  (Comp.  Ps.  Ixv.  7.) 
The  fear  of  individuals  that  will  produce  fainting  even  to 
"expiring"    {margin),  even  unto  death,  will  arise  from 


376  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxi.  26-30. 

expectation  of  coming  things.     Tremendous  emotion  is 
easily  fatal !     The  world  is  the  whole  inhabited  earth. 

27.  And  then,  after  these  signs,  shall  they  see  the 
greatest  sight  of  all,  the  Son  of  man,  Jesus,  coming,  etc. 
This  is  the  Parousia.  The  manner  of  it,  in  a  cloud,  as 
the  angels  afterwards  at  the  Ascension  (Acts  i.  9)  signi- 
fied, with  power  and  great  glory,  in  marked  contrast 
with  His  coming  into  the  world  at  the  incarnation,  as  a 
feeble  little  child  (Luke  i.  and  ii.). 

28.  But  when  these  things  begin  to  come  to  pass,  look  up,  and  lift  up 
your  heads;  because  your  redemption  draweth  nigh. 

28.  These  things,  properly  interpreted,  instead  of  caus- 
ing fear  and  consternation  to  Christ's  disciples,  will  be 
the  token  of  a  nearer  redemption,  birth-throes  of  per- 
fected salvation  (comp.  Rom.  viii.  18-25),  the  occasion 
for  them  to  look  up  in  joyful  hope  and  lift  up  their 
heads  in  hopeful  expectation.  Judgments,  death,  the 
crack  of  doom,  need  not  frighten  Christians;  rather  do 
they,  and,  dear  reader,  so  let  them,  betoken  our  Redeemer 
near ! 

29-33.  And  he  spake  to  them  a  parable :  Behold  the  fig  tree,  and  all  the 
trees :  when  they  now  shoot  forth,  ye  see  it  and  know  of  your  own  selves 
that  the  summer  is  now  nigh.  Even  so  ye  also,  when  ye  see  these  things 
coming  to  pass,  know  ye  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  nigh.  Verily  I  say 
unto  you,  This  generation  shall  not  pass  away,  till  all  things  be  accom- 
plished. Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away  :  but  my  words  shall  not  pass 
away. 

See  on  Matt.  xxiv.  32-36  ;    Mark  xiii.  28-32. 

29.  30.  "  Our  God  wrote  the  last  day  not  only  into 
books,  but  also  into  the  trees,  that,  as  often  as  we  see 
the  trees  shoot  forth  in  the  spring,  we  remember  this 
parable  and  the  day  of  the  Lord.  This  is,  indeed,  a 
strange  explanation,  that,  when  I  see  the  sun  and  moon 
darkened,  waves  and  sea  roaring,  I  shall  say,  Praised  be 


XXI.  30-32.]  CHAPTER  XXI.  377 

God,  the  summer  cometh,  because  the  leaves  and  blos- 
soms shoot  forth !  But,  as  we  are  to  become  new  men, 
He  wills  that  we  also  have  other  and  new  thoughts, 
reason  and  senses,  and  regard  nothing  according  to  reason 
as  the  world  takes  it,  but  as  it  is  before  His  eyes,  and 
govern  ourselves  according  to  the  future,  invisible,  new 
being,  for  which  we  hope.  For  this  miserable  life  here 
upon  earth  is  like  the  abominable,  unfruitful  winter. 
Heaven,  earth,  sea,  stars,  air  and  all  creatures  are  tired  of 
the  world's  malice  which  they  must  see  and  hear,  and 
regret  that  they  are  so  awfully  abused,  and  wish  for  new 
heavens  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness, 
2  Pet.  iii.  13  ;  Is.  Ixv.  17"  (Luther). 

31.  Luke  gives  as  the  subject — wanting  in  Matthew 
and  Mark — of  is  nigh  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  LuTHER 
explains  here  as  "  nothing  but  our  redemption.  We  our- 
selves are  the  kingdom  of  God  (xvii.  21),  therefore  it 
draweth  nigh  when  we  are  to  be  entirely  redeemed  from 
sins  and  evil."  Whilst  this  is  true,  it  is  not  the  whole 
truth  :  "  the  kingdom  of  God  "  is  to  be  interpreted  here 
in  the  light  of  the  disciples'  questions  and  this  whole 
discourse  drawn  out  by  them. 

32.  This  passage  is  a  criix  intcrpretuin.  Therefore,  ^  X^ 
though  treated  in  the  preceding  volumes  of  this  Com- 
mentary, we  will  also  offer  an  explanation  of  the  manifest 
difficulty.  We  believe  that  this  generation  has  its  usual 
signification  and  refers  to  people  then  living.  But  instead 
of  rendering  the  verb,  ^^v^jra:,  be  accomplished,  by  a  trans- 
lation closer  to  the  radical  meaning  of  the  verb,  we  sug- 
gest come  to  pass  in  the  sense  of  finding  place  on  the  stage 
of  history,  entering  upon  their  accomplishment,  the  com- 
pletion of  which  might  require  a  long  time  thereafter:  so 
that  the  meaning  would  be,  all  these  things  will  enter 
upon  the  stage  of  their  fulfilment,  will  come   on  in  the 


378  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxi.  32-34. 

course  of  history,  find  place  in  current  events  and  begin 
their  round,  before  this  present  Hving  generation  passes 
away.  The  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  in  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem  and  the  Jewish  state  took  place  about  forty 
years  after  this  was  spoken.  The  era  of  the  coming  of 
the  Son  of  man  in  His  kingdom  began  during  that  then 
present  generation  and  is  now  going  on  to  its  final  scenes. 
Comp.  the  contingent  aorist  and  the  translation  '*  come 
to  pass  "  in  Luke  i.  20  ;  John  xiii.  19  ;  xiv.  29,  and  the  in- 
dicative aorist,  "  it  came  to  pass,"  times  innumerable. 
See  also  the  Revised  Version  of  John  xiii.  2  "  during 
supper  "  instead  of  '*  supper  being  ended,"  though  here  it 
is  the  present  participle.  Comp.,  as  side-lights  to  the 
whole  passage,  Phil.  iv.  5  ;  Heb.  x.  25,  37  ;  James  v.  8,  9  ; 
I  Pet.  iv.  7  ;  2  Pet.  iii.  8,  9. 

34-36.  But  take  heed  to  yourselves,  lest  haply  your  hearts  be  over- 
charged with  surfeiting,  and  drunkenness,  and  cares  of  this  life,  and  that 
day  come  on  you  suddenly  as  a  snare  :  for  so  shall  it  come  upon  all  them 
that  dwell  on  the  face  of  all  the  earth.  But  watch  ye  at  every  season, 
making  supplication,  that  ye  may  prevail  to  escape  all  these  things  that 
shall  come  to  pass,  and  to  stand  before  the  Son  of  man. 

See  on  Matt.  xxiv.  42-51;  Mark  xiii.  33-37,  passages 
not  exactly  parallel,  but  similar. 

34,  35.  Here  is  a  present  practical  admonition.  Events 
are  above  and  beyond  you,  but  take  heed  to  yourselves. 
Unite  the  certainty  of  what  is  coming  with  the  uncer- 
tainty of  the  time  of  it,  and  give  heed  to  character  and 
life.  Overcharged,  weighted,  burdened.  Surfeiting  is 
debauch  from  previous  drinking.  Drunkenness  is  too 
familiar  to  need  remark,  an  old-time  and  aboundingly 
present  sin,  though  not  among  Christians.  Cares  of  this 
life,  so  common,  concern,  anxiety  about  getting  along  in 
this  world,  so  beautifully  reproved  in  Matt.  vi.  24-34  by 
a  setting  forth    of  our    Heavenly  Father's  care,  see  in 


XXI.  34-37-]  CHAPTER  XXI.  379 

what  bad  company  the  Lord  puts  them,  just  as  covetous- 
ness  is  commonly  classified  with  licentiousness,  and  learn 
to  "  be  careful  for  nothing  "  (Phil.  iv.  6).  What  is  "  this 
life  "  compared  with  the  life  to  come  which  that  day  of 
the  Lord's  appearing  will  gloriously  usher  in  !  Suddenly, 
unexpected,  when  they  think  not,  as  a  snare  that  springs 
upon  and  takes  the  unwary,  shall  that  day  come  in  upon 
all  them  that  dwell,  sit  in  security  (y.adrnj.i^Mm'i),  on  the  face 
of  all  the  earth,  mankind  in  general :  but  let  it  not  be  so 
with  you.  Christians. 

36.  Watch.  This  is  the  wakefulness  of  Christian  life. 
At  every  season,  in  every  occasion,  joined  here  to  the 
preceding  verb,  is  by  others  used  to  qualify  the  following 
making  supplication.  Comp.  xviii.  i,  7,  and  "  Pray  with- 
out ceasing  "  of  i  Thess.  v.  17,  and  "  Watch  unto  prayer  " 
of  I  Pet.  iv.  7.  The  Christian  life  depends  continually  on 
God  and  communes  with  Him.  The  purpose  and  context 
of  this  supplication  is,  that  ye  may  prevail  over  all  ad- 
verse influences,  and  have  the  power  to  escape  out  of  and 
be  by  no  means  ensnared  by  coming  perils,  and  to  stand, 
not  run  to  cover  of  rocks  and  hills  (Rev.  vi.  15,  16),  or 
be  placed  (for  the  word  is  passive)  by  the  ministering 
angels  (Matt.  xxiv.  31  ;  Mark  xiii.  27),  before  the  Son  of 
man  as  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  (Is.  li.  1 1  ;  Ixii.  12  ;  Ixiii. 
4  ;  Luke  i.  68  ;  ver.  28  above ;  Rev.  v.  9).  That  day,  whose 
coming  is  by  so  many  either  overlooked,  never  thought 
of,  or  dreadfully  feared,  should  be  a  day  desired,  expected, 
even  longed  for  (2  Pet.  iii.  12)  by  Christians. 

37-3S.  And  every  day  he  was  teaching  in  the  temple  ;  and  every  night 
he  went  out,  and  lodged  in  the  mount  that  is  called  the  fiioiint  of  Olives. 
And  all  the  people  came  early  in  the  morning  to  him  in  the  temple,  to  hear 
him. 

37,  38.  The  verbs  here  are  in  the  imperfect  tense, 
showing  customary  action.     This  last  week  of  His  minis- 


380  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxi.  37-38. 

try  Jesus  spent  the  days  teaching  in  the  temple,  but, 
knowing  the  Jews'  purpose  now  taking  shape  more  defi- 
nitely than  ever  (comp.  Mark  xiv.  10,  11)  to  arrest  Him, 
every  night  he  went  out  and  lodged  among  His  friends 
at  Bethany  (Matt.  xxi.  17;  Mark  xi.  11),  in  the  mount  of 
Olives.  The  eagerness  of  the  people  to  hear  Him  is 
shown  in  their  rising  early  in  the  morning  and  resorting 
to  the  temple  to  hear  him.  Nor  did  He  disappoint  them 
by  coming  late;  for  the  statement  of  Matt.  xxi.  18  seems 
to  indicate  that  on  that  day  He  visited  the  city  before 
breakfast. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

1-6.  Now  the  feast  of  unleavened  bread  drew  nigh,  which  is  called  the 
Passover.  And  the  chief  priests  and  the  scribes  sought  how  they  might 
put  him  to  death;  for  they  feared  the  people. 

And  Satan  entered  into  Judas  who  was  called  Iscariot,  being  of  the  num- 
ber of  the  twelve.  And  he  went  away,  and  communed  with  the  chief  priests 
and  captains,  how  he  might  deliver  him  unto  them.  And  they  were  glad, 
and  covenanted  to  give  him  money.  And  he  consented,  and  sought  oppor- 
tunity to  deliver  him  unto  them  in  the  absence  of  the  multitude. 

See  on  Matt.  xxvi.  1-5,  14-16;  Mark  xiv.  i,  2,  10,   11. 

2.  That  these  chief  priests  and  scribes  sat  in  Moses' 
seat  (Matt,  xxiii.  2),were  doctors  of  the  law  and  chief  men  in 
the  Jewish  church,  does  not  make  their  purpose  and  effort 
to  put  him  to  death  any  the  less  a  deed  of  darkness,  in- 
spired from  the  pit  of  iniquity.  Prompted  by  envy, 
jealousy,  self-seeking,  they  feared  not  God,  but  only  the 
people,  who,  let  alone,  sided  with  Jesus.  Nor  can  any 
now,  who,  being  in  place  and  outward  honor  in  the  church, 
"turn  aside  unto  their  crooked  ways,"  plead  their  position 
or  external  honors  to  prevent  them  from  being  counted 
in  and  led  forth  with  the  "  workers  of  iniquity  "  (Ps. 
cxxv.  5). 

Luke  gave  account  (vii.  36-50)  of  the  anointing  of 
Jesus  in  a  Pharisee's  house,  probably  at  Capernaum,  by  a 
woman  that  was  a  sinner,  and  makes  no  mention  of  His 
anointing  at  Bethany  by  Mary,  the  sister  of  Lazarus,  re- 
corded at  this  point  by  Matthew  and  Mark  and  John. 

3.  Satan,  who  operates  through  men,  entered  into 
Judas,  who  gave  him  room  and  sway,  though  Judas  had 

381 


382  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxii.  3-9. 

the  position  and  honor  of  belonging  to  the  twelve.     See 
on  vi.  16. 

4.  He  knew  where  to  find  kindred  spirits  and  went 
away  from  the  hallowed  influences  of  Jesus'  presence, 
and  communed  with  them  as  to  plans  for  consummating 
the  iniquity  they  purposed.  Captains  probably  refers  to 
the  Levitical  temple  guards. 

6.  Money,  of  which  Judas  was  a  lover  (John  xii.  6,  comp. 
I  Tim.  vi.  10),  and  a  bargain  to  which  Judas  consented, 
and  then  the  watch  for  an  opportunity,  an  occasion 
suitable  to  the  deed  of  darkness  that  was  to  be  done. 
Men  still  do  such  things  for  money ;  they  betra}'  the 
innocent  blood.  In  the  absence  of  the  multitude  (see  on 
ver.  2,  above),  as  much  as  possible  secretly. 

7.  And  the  day  of  unleavened  bread  came,  on  which  the  passover  must 
be  sacrificed. 

See  on  Matt.  xxvi.  17-20  ;  Mark.  xiv.  12-17,  ^'^^  Appen- 
dix to  Vol.  III.  on  "When  did  Christ  eat  the  Last 
Supper? " 

7.  The  law  was  very  explicit  that  the  lamb  should  be 
killed  "  between  the  two  evenings  "  of  the  specified  day. 

8,  9.  And  he  sent  Peter  and  John,  saying,  Go  and  make  ready  for  us  the 
passover,  that  we  may  eat.  And  they  said  unto  him.  Where  wilt  thou  that 
we  make  ready  ? 

8.  9.  Matthew  and  Mark  report  only  the  disciples'  ques- 
tion, Where  wilt  thou  that  we  make  ready?  But  Luke 
gives  first  Jesus'  command,  Go  and  make  ready  for  us 
the  passover.  Naturally,  as  the  time  was  at  hand,  the 
Lord  and  His  disciples  alike  would  have  this  sacred  feast 
and  divine  appointment  upon  their  minds.  They  were 
all  accustomed  to  keep  the  feasts.  These  had  to  be  ob- 
served in  Jerusalem.  They  were  now  in  Bethany.  The 
question  is,  where  shall  they  keep  the  feast  ?     Jesus  sent 


xxn.  8-II.]  CHAPTER  XXII.  383 

Peter  and  John  to  make  the  preparations.  They  were, 
likely,  the  most  fit  two,  of  the  twelve,  for  this  occasion, 
being  vehement  in  love  as  well  as  in  action,  and  John, 
especially,  being  acquainted  in  Jerusalem,  with  possibly 
a  home  there  (see  John  xix.  27), 

10-13.  And  he  said  unto  them,  Behold,  when  ye  are  entered  into  the 
city,  there  shall  meet  you  a  man  bearing  a  pitcher  of  water;  follow  him  into 
the  house  whereinto  he  goeth.  And  ye  shall  say  unto  the  goodman  of  the 
house.  The  Master  saith  unto  thee,  Where  is  the  guest-chamber,  where  I 
shall  eat  the  passover  with  my  disciples  ?  And  he  will  shew  you  a  large 
upper  room  furnished ;  there  make  ready.  And  they  went,  and  found  as 
he  had  said  unto  them :  and  they  made  ready  the  passover. 

10.  Notice  that  no  designation  by  which  the  place  would 
be  known,  is  given  ;  so  that  Judas  gets  no  clue  to  the 
place,  but  must  stay  and  go  in  with  the  remainder  of  the 
company. 

A  man  bearing  a  pitcher  of  water.  "  A  very  unusual 
sight  in  the  East,  where  the  water  is  drawn  by  women. 
He  must  probably  have  been  the  slave  of  one  who  was  an 
open  or  secret  disciple  ;  unless  we  have  here  a  reference 
to  the  Jewish  custom  of  the  master  of  a  house  himself 
drawing  the  water  with  which  the  unleavened  bread  was 
kneaded  on  Nisan  13.  If  so,  the  '  man  bearing  a  pitcher  of 
water '  may  have  been  the  evangelist  St.  Mark,  in  the 
house  of  whose  mother,  and  probably  in  the  very  upper 
room  where  the  last  supper  was  held,  the  disciples  used 
at  first  to  meet  (Acts  xii.  12).  The  mysteriousness  of  the 
sign  was  perhaps  intended  to  baffle,  as  long  as  was  need- 
ful, the  machinations  of  Judas  "  (CAMBRIDGE  Bible). 

11.  Peter  and  John  were  only  to  follow  the  pitcher- 
bearer,  and  bear  the  message  with  which  they  were 
charged  only  to  the  goodman  of  the  house.  This  goes 
to  show  that  these  were  not  the  same,  but  different  per- 
sons.    The  word  rendered  "  goodman  "  simply  means  the 


384  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxii.  11-15. 

master  of  the  house.  Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  upon 
these  great  festival  occasions  Eastern  hospitahty  found 
abundant  scope  for  its  exercise  and  was  not  found  want- 
ing— a  general  giving  up  of  unoccupied  rooms  and  of 
furniture,  without  hire,  to  strangers — the  words  Jesus 
bade  them  address  this  man  imply  that  he  was  a  friend 
or  disciple  of  His:  and  'tis  pleasant  to  think,  as  there 
was  an  enemy  among  His  most  intimate  friends,  so  there 
were  secret  friends  of  His  among  His  bitter  enemies  in 
Jerusalem. 

12.  He  will  show  you  a  large  upper  room  furnished 
with  tables,  couches,  basin  (John  xiii.  5,  etc.).  Observe 
the  minuteness  of  Jesus'  directions,  and  an  illustration 
therein  of  His  more  than  human  foreknowledge. 

13.  Their  immediate,  unquestioning  obedience  showed 
their  faith.  They  went,  upon  orders,  and  found  as  he 
had  said  unto  them.  So  it  had  always  been  ;  so  will  it 
always  be  when  the  Lord's  word  is  concerned. 

14-16.  And  when  the  hour  was  come,  he  sat  down,  and  the  apostles  with 
him.  And  he  said  unto  them.  With  desire  I  have  desired  to  eat  this  pass- 
over  with  you  before  I  suffer ;  for  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not  eat  it,  until  it 
be  fulfilled  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 

14.  And  when  the  hour,  time,  for  the  eating  of  the 
passover,  after  sunset,  was  come,  having  meanwhile  come 
into  the  city  from  Bethany,  he  sat  down,  or,  rather, 
reclined,  as  the  Greek  word  signifies  and  as  the  custom 
was,  and  the  apostles  with  him,  including  Judas,  who 
had  to  stay  with  them  to  know  the  place  whither  they 
were  going.  Jesus'  sayings  in  these  verses  are  given  only 
by  Luke. 

15.  With  desire  I  have  desired,  that  is,  greatly  have  I 
desired,  to  eat  this  passover  with  you.  We  inquire  why, 
and  are  answered  partly  in  the  words  before  I  suffer,  and 
in  what  follows.     This  was  Jesus'  last  passover,  and  the 


XXII.  I5-I8.]  CHAPTER  XXII.  385 

last  one  of  that  dispensation.  There  was  a  sorrow  and  a 
joy  connected  with  it  more  than  usual.  It  was  to  be 
His  farewell  meal  with  His  disciples.  Great  changes  were 
to  come  to  pass  right  upon  it. 

16.  Soon  all  that  it  signified  will  be  fulfilled  in  the 
kingdom  of  God,  which  is  not  limited  to  Jews  but  em- 
braces mankind.  Soon  the  Lamb  whose  blood  cleanses 
from  all  sin  will  be  slain  and  the  sin  of  the  world  passed 
over,  whosoever  in  it  shall  apply  that  blood  to  his  own 
heart  and  house.     See  latter  part  of  vcr.  18. 

17,  iS.  And  he  received  a  cup,  and  when  he  had  given  thanks,  he  said, 
Take  this,  and  divide  it  among  yourselves:  for  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not 
drink  from  henceforth  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine,  until  the  kingdom  of  God 
shall  come. 

17.  The  cup  which  Jesus  here  received  at  the  hand  of 
some  one  of  the  twelve,  was  the  cup  of  the  passover  and 
has  no  reference  to  the  cup  in  the  Lord's  Supper.  When 
he  had  given  thanks.  This  occurred  more  than  once 
during  the  passover  meal.  Thanksgiving  was  prominent 
in  all  its  parts. 

18.  I  will  not  drink  henceforth,  after  this,  of  the  fruit 
of  the  vine,  commonly  called  wine,  a  common  drink  of 
the  country  and  of  the  passover,  until  the  kingdom  of 
God  shall  come.  (See  above  on  ver.  16.)  Evidently 
the  kingdom  of  God,  which  both  John  and  Jesus  had 
preached  as  at  hand  and  come  nigh  unto  them,  was  now 
about  to  come  in  a  fuller  sense  than  ever  before.  The 
fulness  of  the  time  had  come.  That  day,  the  next  day 
as  we  reckon,  Jesus  would  be  lifted  up  on  the  cross  and 
so  draw  all  men  unto  Him,  having  established  a  kingdom, 
unlike  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  based  on  love.  Vers. 
16  and  18  do  not  afifirm  or  deny  that  Jesus  Himself  ate 
and  drank  at  this  passover;  but  ver.  15  makes  the  im- 

25 


386  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxii.  iS,  19. 

pression  that  He  did  :  but   now   for  the  last   thne  until 
prophecy  would  become  history. 

19.  And  he  took  bread,  and  when  he  had  given  thanks,  he  brake  it,  and 
gave  to  tliem,  saying,  Tliis  is  my  l)ody  which  is  given  for  you  :  this  do  in 
remembrance  of  me. 

See  on  Matt.  xxvi.  26-29  ;  Mark  xiv.  22-25  "»   i  Cor.  xi. 

23-25- 

19.  Here  begins  the  institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper, 
which  may  be  considered  as  the  proper  coutiimance  and 
realisation  of  the  paschal  supper.  The  Lord  did  not 
wait  till  that  supper  was  done  as  if  He  would  establish 
something  nezv  in  the  sense  of  unconnected  with  the 
great  truths  set  forth  by  the  passover.  On  the  con- 
trary, the  passover  was  here  merged  into  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per. He  took  bread,  one  of  the  unleavened  cakes  that 
were  there.  There  was  manifest  in  His  actions,  in  thus 
taking  the  bread  and  doing  what  followed,  that  He  was 
going  beyond  the  usual  appointments  of  the  passover  in 
the  exercise  of  an  authority  of  His  own.  He  did  not 
take  any  part  of  the  lajnb  in  this  action,  but  the  bread. 
There  was  to  be  no  more  shedding  of  blood  for  sins  after 
His  all-sufficient  sacrifice  of  Himself,  and  nothing  that 
might  cast  a  doubt  on  the  prevailing  ef^cacy  of  that. 
Jesus  had,  moreover,  before  declared  "  I  am  the  bread  of 
life  !  "  Here  "  is  fulfilled  the  prognostication  of  the 
Jews — that  when  the  Messiah  should  come  as  a  priest 
after  the  order  of  Melchisedek,  all  (typical  animal)  sacri- 
fices should  cease,  and  only  the  (thank)  offering  of  bread 
and  ivine  should  remain  "  (Stier).  The  giving  of 
thanks  again  indicated  a  new  idea,  a  fresh  beginning. 
It  was  only  after  such  a  blcssing\\\7\X.  he  brake  it,  and  gave 
tothem.  This  is  the  distribution.  He  gives, they  receive. 
Every  act  of  His  in  this  connection  is  significant,  as  well 
as    what    He    said.      But  mark   particularly  His  words. 


XXII.  19.]  CHAPTER  XXII.  387 

This  is  my  body.  He  does  not  say,  This  bread  is  my 
body  :  the  word  for  bread  is  mascuHne  whereas  the  tJiis 
is  neuter  and  is  not  to  be  taken  with  the  word  bread.  But, 
This  that  I  give  to  thee,  this  is  my  body.  As  though 
He  had  said,  You  have  eaten  the  paschal  lamb,  and  for 
the  last  time.  That  lamb  represented  mc.  I  am  "  the 
Lamb  of  God  that  takes  away  the  sin  of  the  world,"  as 
John  preached  concerning  me.  "  Lo,  I  come  to  do  thy 
will,  O  God,  and  a  body  hast  thou  prepared  for  me  ;  " 
and  this  is  my  body.  Take,  eat,  and  so  become  ineor- 
porate  with  me  ;  for  "  he  that  eateth  me,  even  he  shall 
live  by  me  "  (John  vi.  57).  As  of  old,  so  now,  doubt- 
less, there  will  be  many  to  say,  "  How  can  this  man  give 
us  his  flesh  to  eat?"  But  Jesus  does  not  modify  His 
strong  and  strange  words  for  such,  but  repeats  them  with 
emphasis,  the  four  accounts  of  the  Lord's  Supper  un- 
varyingly giving  the  Lord's  declaration,  "  Tliis  is  my 
body!'  The  Lord  knew  how  much  controversy  would 
arise  out  of  these  words,  yet  adhered  to  them  as  the 
plainest  that  could  express  the  great  fact.  You  may  say 
with  Nicodemus,  "  How  can  these  things  be  ?  "  The 
Lord  does  not  choose  to  tell  you  Jiozv  (if  you  eould  un- 
derstand that),  but  simply  says,  //  is  so — This  is  my 
body  !  Luke  adds  to  Matthew's  and  Mark's  accounts  the 
words  which  is  given  for  you,  which  some  ancient  au- 
thorities omit,  but  they  are  confirmed  by  Paul's  account 
(i  Cor.  xi.  24),  which  reads,  "  This  is  my  body  which  is 
for  you.'' 

To  say  that  our  Lord  meant,  This  represents  my  body, 
is  a  shallow,  unsatisfying  and  untenable  explanation  ;  and 
to  compare  His  words  with  Joseph's  interpretation  of 
Pharaoh's  dreams,  "  The  seven  good  kine  arc  seven 
years,"  etc.,  or  with  the  words  of  the  voice  explaining 
to   St.   John,    "  The  seven    candlesticks    are   the    seven 


388  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxii.  19. 

churches,"  is  to  confound  evident  prophecy  and  tropical 
representation  with  the  sober  words  of  the  institution  of 
an  ordinance  which  was  to  hold  together  the  Church  of 
Christ  till  the  end  of  time,  spoken  by  the  Saviour  of 
mankind  on  the  eve  of  His  separation  from  His  disciples 
by  death.  It  is  to  make  this  new  institution  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  more  empty  than  the  old  Passover,  which  it  was 
to  supplant  by  setting  forth  the  reality  of  its  fulfilment. 
On  the  other  hand,  compare  these  words  with  other  say- 
ings of  Christ  concerning  Himself,  such  as,  "  I  am  the 
door,"  "  I  am  the  vine,"  "  I  am  the  way,"  "  I  am  the 
true  bread  that  cometh  down  from  heaven."  Christ 
really  is  all  these  things,  and  does  not  represent  them  ! 
Here  in  Luke  there  is  aJdcd  to  the  words  "This  is  my 
body"  the  further  explanation  ivliich  is  given  for  yon,  as 
in  Paul's  account  (i  Cor.  xi.  24,  Revision).  And  Paul, 
far  from  weakening  in  any  sense  the  plain  words  of  the 
institution,  argues  (i  Cor.  x.  16),  "  The  bread  which  we 
break,  is  it  not  the  communion  (that  is,  participation  in) 
the  body  of  Christ  ?  "  in  this  interrogative  form  strongly 
affirming  the  fact  of  a  real  participation  in  the  real  body 
of  Christ,  and  he  repeatedly  sets  forth  the  idea  that  we 
Christians  "  are  members  of  his  (Christ's)  body " — of 
course  he  does  not  mean  that  we  represent  members  of 
His  body  ! 

If  rationalism,  in  the  vein  of  the  Capernaites  in  John 
vi.,  goes  on  to  object  that  Christ's  body  was  there  visible 
before  them,  and  in  it  He  reached  to  them  the  bread, 
and  therefore  what  He  gave  them  could  not  be  His 
body,  we  reply  that  this  objection  is  based  on  the  false 
notion  that  the  bread  \v2i's>Y\.\'~,  body,  and  also  on  the  false 
notion  that  there  is  no  other  way  of  partaking  of  Christ's 
body  than  the  natural  eating  and  drinking,  in  the  same 
way  that  we  eat  and  drink  common  food  ;  and  we  refer 


XXII.  19,  2o.]  CHAPTER  XXII.  3S9 

such  objectors  to  such  passages  as  John  iii.  13,  where 
Jesus  right  in  Nicodemiis  sight  spoke  of  Himself  as 
"  the  Son  of  man  which  is  in  heaven." 

"  It  is  a  mystery  ;  the  touch  of  the  Infinite  for  a  mo- 
ment through  the  material  nerve  of  the  finite ;  the 
presence  of  God  allied  to  us,  but  infinitely  above  us.  It 
is  this  very  element  of  mystery  against  which  the  exces- 
sively rationalizing  element  in  Protestantism  revolts, 
which  we  need  to  have  brought  home  to  us  "  (Dr.  C.  A. 
Stork). 

This  do  in  remembrance  of  me.  These  words,  not  found 
at  all  in  the  accounts  of  Matthew  and  Mark,  but  given 
by  Paul  in  several  forms,  introduce  the  menwrial  idea  of 
the  supper.  Those  who  make  this  supper  <•'///)' memorial, 
look  at  but  one  side  of  its  nature  and  purpose,  making 
naught  of  its  life-giving  power.  They  rest  on  what  tJiey 
do  subjectively  in  remembering  Christ's  death  ;  whereas 
evidently  Christ  in  this  sacrament  sets  before  us  and 
gives  to  us  what  He  has  done  for  us.  "  Christ  our  pass- 
over  is  sacrificed  for  us :  "  we  are  made  partakers  of  Him 
in  the  holy  supper,  and  our  sins  are  passed  over. 

20.  And  the  cup  in  like  manner  after  supper,  saying,  This  cup  is  the  new 
covenant  in  my  blood,  evoi  that  which  is  poured  out  for  you. 

20.  And  the  cup  in  like  manner  He  took  and  after 
giving  thanks  gave  it  to  them  with  words  similar  to 
those  used  with  the  bread.  Matthew  and  Mark  here 
repeat  the  details  which  Luke  sums  up  in  the  expres- 
sion "in  like  manner."  This  cup  contained  the  custom- 
ary red  wine  of  the  country,  used  during  the  passover 
festival.  Luke  says  this  was  after  supper ;  so  does 
Paul  (i  Cor.  xi.  25,  Revision),  using  exactly  the  same 
words  as  Luke,  but  our  common  version  renders  it  by 
the    misleading    expression    "  when    he    had     supped." 


390  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxii.  20. 

Jesus  Himself  did  not  partake  of  this  cup.  It  may  be 
that  there  was  some  considerable  interval  between  the 
former  and  latter  parts  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 

This  cup,  said  He,  as  He  now  handed  it  to  the  disci- 
ples, is  the  new  covenant  in  my  blood.  So  Paul  gives 
it.  Matthew  and  Mark  have  it,  "  This  is  my  blood  of  the 
covenant."  The  several  accounts  are  to  be  taken  to- 
gether as  mutually  explanatory.  On  this  new  covenant 
or  testament,  see  Exod.  xxiv.  8,  with  Heb.  ix.,  and  Jer. 
xxxi.  31-34,  with  Heb.  viii.  6-13;  also  Zech.  ix.  9-1 1. 
A  **  covenant "  is  an  agreement  or  compact  between  two 
parties  :  a  "  testament  "  is  a  %vill  or  disposition  of  things 
in  view  of  one's  death,  and  is  effective  in  consequence  of 
that  death.  We  are  made  partakers  of  the  new  cove- 
nant by  becoming  parties  to  it  by  faith. 

This  verse  is  to  be  explained  in  like  manner  as  ver.  19, 
on  which  see  comments.  See  Luther's  Catechism  on 
the  nature  and  benefits  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  "We  use 
the  terms  true  and  real,  to  exclude  the  idea  of  a  figura- 
tive or  imaginary  presence  :  and,  substantial,  to  exclude 
a  merely  efificacious  presence  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ  in  the  Holy  Supper.  We  call  it  a  sacramental 
presence,  because  the  celestial  objects  in  this  mystery 
(the  body  and  blood  of  Christ)  are  presented  and  be- 
stowed through  the  medium  of  external  sacramental 
symbols.  This  sacramental  presence  is,  then,  not  a  fig- 
urative, symbolic,  or  imaginary  presence,  neither  is  it  a 
local  presence,  such  as  Christ  had  when  He  dwelt  on 
earth  amongst  men  ;  nor  yet  is  it  a  merely  influential, 
operative,  and  efficacious  presence,  resulting  from  His 
omnipresence  as  the  God-man,  which  is  described  as  sit- 
ting on  the  right  hand  of  God,  as  being  the  fulness  of 
Him  that  filleth  all  in  all,  as  filling  all  things  (Eph.  i.  23, 
iv.  10),  and   concerning  which    He  says   Himself  (Matt. 


XXII.  20-23.]  CHAPTER  XXIL  391 

xxviii.  20),  '  And,  lo,  I  am  with  you  ahvay,  even  unto 
the  end  of  the  world,'  and  (Matt,  xviii.  20),  *  Where  two 
or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I 
in  the  midst  of  them  ;  '  but  it  is  a  presence  by  which 
Christ  communicates  Himself  to  us  in  a  mysterious,  su- 
pernatural and  incomprehensible  manner  "  (H.  Ziegler). 
In  the  Lord's  Supper  we  are  His  guests,  to  be  made 
partakers  of  whatever  He  therein  gives  us :  for  He  pro- 
vides the  supper,  not  we.  Hence  our  formula  of  admin- 
istration of  the  bread  is,  "  Take  and  eat,  this  is  the  body 
of  Christ,  given  for  thee :  "  and,  for  the  wine,  "  Take  and 
drink,  this  is  the  blood  of  the  New  Testament,  shed  for 
thy  sins."  What  is  required  of  communicants  is  truly  . 
believing  hearts. 

21-23.  ^^^  behold,  the  hand  of  h'lm  that  betrayeth  me  is  with  me  on 
the  table.  For  the  Son  of  man  indeed  goeth,  as  it  hatli  been  determined  : 
but  woe  unto  that  man  through  whom  he  is  betrayed !  And  they  began  to 
question  among  themselves,  which  of  them  it  was  that  should  do  this  thing. 

See  on  Matt.  xxvi.  21-25  ;  Mark  xiv.  18-21  ;  John  xiii. 
21-30, 

Matthew  and  Mark  put  the  pointing  out  of  the  traitor 
before  the  account  of  the  institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper, 
and  John  does  not  give  any  account  of  the  latter.  It  is 
a  question  that  divides  commentators,  and  is  impossible 
of  absolute  decision,  whether  Judas  was  present  at  the 
institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Luke's  account  seems 
to  indicate  that  he  was:  but  many  think  that  Luke,  led 
by  his  narrative  to  speak  first  of  the  Supper  as  the  great 
thing  into  which  the  Passover  had  turned,  after  recording 
it,  returns  to  some  things  that  took  place  before  it  and 
joins  together  the  pointing  out  of  the  traitor ;  the  con- 
tention among  the  Twelve,  and  the  warning  to  Peter  and 
them  all.  It  is  possible,  also,  that  Jesus  repeated  His 
declaration  about  Judas,  and  that  besides  what  Matthew 


392  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxii.  21-24. 

and  Mark  relate,  as  having  occurred  before  the  Supper, 
we  have  Jesus'  further  remarks  upon  His  imminent  be- 
trayal, spoken  after  it. 

21.  But  marks  contrast,  a  turn  in  the  thought,  behold, 
the  instrument  of  my  delivery  into  the  hands  of  my 
murderous  enemies,  the  hand  of  him  that  betrayeth  me, 
that  has  already  received  (Matt.  xxvi.  15)  the  price  of 
his  perfidy,  in  unblushing  effrontery  is  with  me,  still,  as 
if  a  friend,  on  the  table,  receiving  and  handing  to  others. 
As  said  the  Psalmist  (xli.  9).  "  Yea,  my  own  familiar 
friend,  which  did  eat  of  my  bread,  hath  lifted  up  his  heel 
against  me."     (Comp.  John  xiii.  18.) 

22.  For.  Because.  As  .  .  .  determined  in  the  divine 
counsel.  His  way  is  appointed,  even  unto  death.  But, 
all  the  same,  woe,  untold,  everlasting  (see  Matt.  xxvi.  24, 
Mark  xiv.  21)  woe,  shall  be  upon  His  betrayer,  who  will 
act  in  the  freedom  of  his  own  will,  against  all  the  oppor- 
tunities afforded  him  in  the  goodness  of  God. 

23.  It  suffices  Luke  to  make  merely  the  general  state- 
ment of  their  inquiry  among  themselves  which  of  them 
it  possibly  was  that  should  do  this  thing,  this  horrible 
thing  of  betraying  Jesus  ! 

24.  And  there  arose  also  a  contention  among  them,  which  of  them  is 
accounted  to  be  greatest. 

24.  This  is  not  the  only  intimation  and  record  of  con=i 
tention  among  the  twelve  about  being  the  greatest,  who 

was  to  have  precedence.  This  is  the  third  time  it  occurred 
since  the  last  (third)  passover.  See  Luke  ix.  46-48,  more 
fully  given  in  Mark  ix.  33-37,  where  the  dispute  occurred 
up  in  Galilee  and  a  little  child  was  set  before  them  as  an 
object  lesson  of  humility  as  the  foundation  of  true  great- 
ness. See  also  Matt.  xx.  20-28  ;  Mark  x.  35-45,  where, 
later,  while  in  Peraea,  the  ambitious  request  of  James  and 


XXII.  24-26.]  CHAPTER  XXIL  393 

John  occasioned  a  fresh  breaking  out  of  this  dispute,  on 
which  occasion  the  Lord  impressed  on  them  the  lesson  of 
greatness  by  service.  This  later  contention,  of  the  text, 
may  have  occurred  on  the  road  to  Jerusalem  from  Bethany, 
started  by  the  fact  that  Peter  and  John  had  been  sent  to 
make  ready  the  passover,  or  it  may  have  occurred  after 
arrival  in  the  upper  room  and  in  connection  with  taking 
their  places  at  the  table.  Besides  Jesus'  words  of  reproof 
and  instruction  in  the  matter,  He  gave  them  a  most  im- 
pressive object  lesson  in  rising  from  the  supper  table  and 
washing  the  disciples'  feet  (recorded  only  by  John,  xiii. 
1-20). 

25,  26.  And  he  said  unto  them,  The  kings  of  the  Gentiles  have  lordship 
over  them :  and  they  that  have  authority  over  them  are  called  Benefactors. 

But  ye  shall  not  be  so :  but  he  that  is  the  greater  among  you,  let  him 
become  as  the  younger;  and  he  that  is  chief,  as  he  that  doth  serve. 

25.  The  expectation  of  the  setting  up  of  a  visible  king- 
dom by  the  Lord  was  probably  an  exciting  occasion  of 
this  strife  in  the  disciples'  minds.  Jesus  points  out  a 
great  difference  between  earthly  kingdoms  and  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.  The  kings  of  the  Gentiles,  that  is,  of 
the  nations  of  the  world,  have  lordship  over  them,  over 
the  nations,  their  subjects.  Such  were  the  governments, 
east  and  west,  in  those  days  ;  and  such  they  are  now,  ex- 
cept where  modified  by  the  influence  of  Christianity. 
Are  called  Benefactors.  A  name — {Iluzpyirr^i)  often  given 
to  Roman  Emperors  and  other  princes,  and  coveted  by 
them. 

26.  But  ye,  not  so.  Let  them  not  in  this  be  an 
example  to  you.  Do  not  think  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
to  be  animated  by  the  principles  and  rules  of  govern- 
ments of  this  world.  The  greater  among  you,  let  him 
show  his  title  to  such  a  place  by  humility,  become  as  the 
younger,  not  seek  place  but  give  place.     He  that  is  chief, 


394  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxii.  26,  27. 

the  leader,  let  him  prove  this  office  by  becoming  as  he 
that  doth  serve,  the  minister  to  others.  True  greatness, 
as  He  sees  and  recognizes  it  who  only  is  Great,  who 
knows,  and  whose  judgment  is  perfect  and  final,  consists 
in  unselfish,  loving  service.  True  greatness  is  love. 
God  is  love!  "Love  suffereth  long,  and  is  kind;  love 
envieth  not ;  love  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  puffed  up, 
doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh  not  its  own,  is 
not  provoked,  taketh  not  account  of  evil;  rejoiceth  not 
in  unrighteousness,  but  rejoiceth  with  the  truth  ;  beareth 
all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things,  endureth 
all  things.     Love  never  faileth  "  (i  Cor.  xiii.  4-8). 

27.  For  whether  is  greater,  he  that  sitteth  at  meat,  or  he  that  serveth  } 
is  not  he  that  sitteth  at  meat  ?  but  I  am  in  the  midst  of  you  as  he  that 
serveth. 

27.  Here  Jesus  instances  His  own  example,  "and  the 
servant  is  not  greater  than  his  lord,"  "the  disciple  than 
his  master."  Jesus  acknowledges  the  social  distinction 
that  he  that  sitteth  at  meat  is  greater  than  he  that 
serveth.  Nor  did  He  interfere  with  social  distinctions. 
But  he  showed  an  example  that,  observed  by  all,  would 
take  away  any  sting  there  may  be  in  these  distinctions. 
I,  who  indeed  am  the  greater,  am  in  the  midst  of  you, 
mere  men,  sinful  men,  in  many  respects  weak  men,  as  he 
that  serveth.  The  particular  present  act,  setting  this 
forth,  was  His  w^ashing  their  feet,  but  His  whole  life 
showed  that  He  "  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but 
to  minister."  He  commends  this  wa)^  as  the  way  to 
become  truly  like  Him,  truly  great.  So  different  is  the 
kingdom  of  God  from  the  kingdoms  of  the  world. 
Forget  not  to  be  ministers — whether  technically  so  called, 
or  not. 

A  chief  trouble  in  the  church  is  that  so  many  "  min- 
isters "  are  miscalled  and  are  found  continually  seeking 


xxii.  27-29.]  CHAPTER    XXII.  395 

their  own,  so  dishonoring  their  caUing  and  perverting 
positions  of  honor  and  trust  to  self-seeking  and  vain 
glory.      And  hence  much  strife  (James  iv.  i). 

28-30.  But  ye  are  they  which  have  continued  with  me  in  my  tempta- 
tions :  and  I  appoint  unto  you  a  kingdom,  even  as  my  Father  appointed 
unto  me,  that  ye  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in  my  kingdom ;  and  ye 
shall  sit  on  thrones  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel. 

28.  Here  Jesus  turns  from  His  gentle  reproach  of  their 
improper  ambition  to  an  acknowledgment  of  their  general 
fidelity  and  suffering  with  Him,  and  to  inspiring  declara- 
tions concerning  the  future.  Did  He  cast  them  down, 
and  put  them  to  service?  Here  He  lifts  them  up  and 
points  them  to  glory.  But  ye  are  they,  peculiar  in  the 
world,  which  have  continued  with  me,  my  friends,  in 
sympathy  and  love,  in  my  temptations.  So  He  charac- 
terizes His  active  ministry,  touched  with  the  feeling  of 
our  infirmities,  tempted  not  once  only,  but  all  along  from 
the  wilderness  to  the  cross,  in  all  points  like  as  we  are. 

29.  And  I,  the  Lord  or  Master,  appoint  unto  you.  This 
word  "  appoint  "  is  in  the  Greek  radically  the  same  as  the 
word  covenant  or  testament,  used  in  the  institution  of 
the  Lord's  Supper.  It  indicates  a  real  ''apportioning, 
giving  over,  bequeathing  in  an  institution — in  short,  a 
testament "  (Stier).  Lange  says,  "  Through  an  in- 
stitution, the  sacrament."  Even  as  my  Father  appointed 
unto  me.  The  Master  and  the  disciples  are  here  made 
equally  recipients  of  God's  gift  and  appointment.  What 
is  that  which  is  appointed,  bequeathed,  covenanted  ?  A 
kingdom.  "  Your  striving  is  for  dominion  and  power,  after 
the  manner  of  the  world ;  behold  I  give  you  a  kingdom, 
an  infinitely  higher  authority  than  tlie  kings  of  the  Gentiles 
have,  no  other  than  that  which  the  Father  hath  given  me. 
I  lift  you  into  co-agents  with  me.  Thus  is  it  afterwards. 
— In  my  kingdom  ye  shall  eat  and  drink  and  judge  with 


396  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxii.  29,  30. 

me.  All  of  them  alike,  without  distinction  in  equal 
dignity,  so  that  no  envious  contention  could  find  place 
there. — Judas,  the  unfaithful  one,  however,  was  already 
excluded  by  verse  28,  similarly  to  Matt.  xix.  28.  This 
kingdom  of  the  Lord  is  now  for  the  present  over  and 
witJiin  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world — that  kingdom,  viz., 
in  which,  having  become  members  of  his  body  through 
the  participation  of  his  blood,  his  disciples  in  the  power 
of  his  spirit  and  of  his  love  serve  while  they  rule.  But 
07ie  day  it  will  alone  remain,  after  the  fall  of  all  other 
thrones  and  dignities  "  (Stier). 

30.  The  same  devout  and  distinguished  commentator 
just  quoted  regards  the  eat  and  drink  at  my  tabSe  as 
referring  primarily  to  the  eating  and  drinking  at  the 
Lord's  Supper  and  not  a  mere  conformity  to  the  Jewish 
notion  of  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  social  feast.  And  ye 
shall  sit  on  thrones.  Stier  regards  this  as  containing  "  a 
mystery  of  the  future  manifestation."  He  says  further, 
"  The  apostles  indeed  even  now  exercise  dominion 
through  the  authority  of  their  writings.  But  only  cer- 
tain of  them  ;  and  it  would  be  wrong  to  limit  so  massive 
a  promise  to  a  particular  number  of  them.  The  *  sitting 
upon  thrones'  is  not  spoken  as  if  for  children,  who  must 
have  figures  for  everything ;  but  when  once  '  the  twelve 
apostles  of  the  Lamb  '  (not  '  of  Israel ')  in  the  kingdom  of 
reality  rule  over  glorified  humanity  with  Christ,  as  spiritual 
powers — the  tJiroiics  also,  according  to  the  relations  of  the 
glorified  state,  will  be  real  enough"  (comp.  i  Cor.  vi.  2,  3). 
That  which  is  to  come  is  not  so  clear  as  that  which  has 
come.  By  faith  we  look  at  the  unseen,  and  wait  to  better 
know  and  understand. 

31,  32.  Simon,  Simon,  behold,  Satan  asked  to  have  you,  that  he  might 
sift  you  as  wheat  :  but  I  made  supplication  for  thee  that  thy  faith  fail  not : 
and  do  thou,  when  once  thou  hast  turned  again,  stablish  thy  brethren. 


xxil.  31-34.]  CHAPTER  XVIII.  397 

31.  Between  the  former  verses  and  these  many  haimo- 
nists  place  the  washing  of  the  disciples'  feet,  the  pointing 
out  of  the  traitor  and  the  institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
The  Lord  here  calls  His  disciple  by  his  natural  name 
Simon,  rather  than  by  his  spiritual  name  Peter,  because 
what  He  foretells  will  proceed  from  the  prevalence  of  the 
old,  natural  man.  Observe  the  reality  and  personality 
here  given  to  Satan..  Asked  to  have  you.  Comp.  Job 
i.  and  ii.,  and  observe  that  this  prince  of  darkness  can  go 
only  so  far  as  he  is  allowed.  To  sift  you  as  wheat,  to 
toss  you  to  the  winds.  The  you  is  plural,  and  refers  to 
all  the  disciples. 

32.  But  I  made  supplication  for  thee  (singular  number, 
referring  specially  to  Peter)  as  peculiarly  needing  inter- 
cession, that  thy  faith  fail  not,  though  shaken  so.  And 
believing,  knowing  His  prayer  would  be  answered  and 
Peter  rescued,  Jesus  adds,  comfortingly,  when  thou  hast 
turned  again  (notice  the  active  voice  of  this  verb),  back 
from  thy  temporary  fall,  stablish  thy  brethren,  become 
a  strength  to  them.     So  he  did. 

33,  34.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Lord,  with  thee  I  am  ready  to  go  both  to 
prison  and  to  death.  And  he  said,  I  tell  thee,  Peter,  the  cock  shall  not 
crow  this  day,  until  thou  shalt  thrice  deny  that  thou  knowest  me. 

See  on  Matt.  xxvi.  33-36;  Mark  xiv.  29-31  ;  John  xiii. 
37,  38. 

33.  34.  Peter  was  sincere  in  his  protestation  of  un- 
swerving fidelity  :  but  he  did  not  know  himself  as  the 
Lord  knew  him.  Here  only  in  Luke  does  Jesus  call  this 
disciple  Peter,  his  divinely  given  (John  i.  42)  spiritual 
name,  used,  perhaps,  as  a  strength  and  comfort  in  view  of 
the  just  spoken  "  Simon,  Simon,"  etc.,  of  ver.  31.  Li  all 
this  Jesus  showed  His  knowledge  of  the  heart  and  of  the 
future,  even  to  details.  Time  was  marked  by  the  cock 
crowinsf. 


398  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxii.  35-38. 

35-37.  And  he  said  unto  them,  When  I  sent  you  forth  without  purse, 
and  wallet,  and  shoes,  lacked  ye  anything?  And  they  said.  Nothing.  And 
he  said  unto  them.  But  now,  he  that  hath  a  purse,  let  him  take  it,  and  like- 
wise a  wallet:  and  he  that  hath  none,  let  him  sell  his  cloke,  and  buy  a 
sword.  For  I  say  unto  you,  that  this  which  is  written  must  be  fulfilled  in 
me.  And  he  was  reckoned  with  transgressors  :  for  that  which  concemeth 
me  hath  fulfilment. 

35-37.  The  general  sense  of  these  verses  is  that  there 
is  to  be  a  significant  change  in  the  apostles'  situation, 
calling  for  different  modes  of  action.  When  I  sent  you 
forth  is  contrasted  with  but  now.  Then,  without  ap- 
parent resources  and  usual  equipments,  they  nevertheless 
lacked  nothing  for  accomplishing  their  mission.  But 
this  method  was  temporary  and  introductory.  The  Lord 
is  about  to  be  taken  from  them.  What  is  written  in  Is. 
liii.  12,  summarizing  that  significant  chapter,  must  be 
fulfilled  in  Him.  That  which  concerneth  me  hath  ful= 
filment,  completion,  an  end.  Thereafter  the  disciples 
in  fulfilling  their  mission  must  use  purse,  wallet,  and 
even  sword,  all  necessary  human  agencies  of  efficacy  and 
defence,  used  in  the  spirit  of  the  Master  and  in  subjection 
to  Him.  Whilst  principles  remain  the  same,  times  and 
methods  change.  The  disciples  seem  to  be  warned  to 
do  their  utmost  and  not  rely  entirely,  or  too  much,  on 
supernatural  agencies.  In  quoting  Is.  liii.  12  Jesus 
showed  He  knew  the  Scriptures  and  their  application  to 
Himself  and  all  that  was  coming  upon  Him. 

We  too  are  under  the  like  necessities  and  trials  with 
these  first  disciples  when  Jesus  was  no  longer  visibly 
among  them  ;  and  we  are  to  meet  them  according  to  the 
principles  here  laid  down. 

38.  And  they  said.  Lord,  behold,  here  are  two  swords.  And  he  said 
unto  them,  It  is  enough. 

38.  Misunderstanding  Him  as  though  He  spake  of  de- 


XXII.  3S-40.]  CHAPTER  XXII.  399 

fence  of  Himself  and  them  against  what  He  predicted, 
they  reported  two  swords,  short  swords  worn  at  the 
girdle,  as  at  hand,  to  which  He  replied,  with  a  gentle 
touch  of  irony,  ending  the  subject,  It  is  enough  ! 

39-42.  And  he  came  out,  and  went,  as  his  custom  was,  unto  the  mount 
of  OUves ;  and  the  disciples  also  followed  him.  And  when  he  was  at  the 
place,  he  said  unto  them,  Pray  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation.  And  he 
was  parted  from  them  about  a  stone's  cast ;  and  he  kneeled  down  and  prayed, 
saying,  Father,  if  thou  be  willing,  remove  this  cup  from  me ;  nevertheless 
not  my  will,  but  thine,  be  done.  And  there  appeared  unto  him  an  angel 
from  heaven,  strengthening  him.  And  being  in  an  agony  he  prayed  more 
earnestly :  and  his  sweat  became  as  it  were  great  drops  of  blood  falling 
down  upon  the  ground.  And  when  he  rose  up  from  his  prayer,  he  came 
unto  the  disciples,  and  found  them  sleeping  for  sorrow,  and  said  unto  them. 
Why  sleep  ye .''  rise  and  pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation. 

See  on  Matt.  xxvi.  30,  36-46  ;  Mark  xiv.  26,  32-42  ; 
John  xviii.  i. 

While  they  lingered  in  the  large  upper  room  of  Jesus' 
friend,  the  Lord  held  those  interesting  and  comforting 
discourses  reported  by  John  (xiv.-xvi.)  and  offered  that 
great  intercessory  prayer  (John  xvii.). 

39.  His  custom.     See  xxi.  37. 

40.  The  place.  Gethsemane.  As  far  as  He  would  go 
that  night.  The  place  where  Jesus  often  resorted  with 
His  disciples  (John  xviii.  2).  Matthew  and  Mark  give 
more  details,  and  say  more  of  Jesus'  own  praying  at  this 
time.  Luke  here,  as' well  as  at  ver.  46,  notes  His  admoni- 
tion to  His  disciples  to  pray.  Who,  in  the  face  of  this, 
can  doubt  or  deny  the  propriety,  the  right,  or  the  power  of 
prayer?  That  ye  enter  not  into  temptation.  The  temp- 
tation would  certainly  come.  Prayer  would  not  prevent 
its  coming,  but  thereby  they  might  be  strengthened  so 
as  to  be  able  to  bear  it  (i  Cor.  x.  13).  Thus  they  might 
avoid  entering  into  temptation  so  as  to  be  held  and  over- 


400  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxii.  40-43 

come  by  it.  Here  is  our  great  Saviour's  method  of  an- 
ticipating and  meeting  temptation.  By  converse  with 
God  we  receive  grace  for  grace. 

"  Prayer  makes  the  Christian's  armor  bright, 
Restraining  prayer  we  cease  to  fight." 

41.  The  word  translated  was  parted  properly  indicates 
violence :  here  it  was  the  violence  of  Jesus'  emotions 
that  moved  Him  to  go  forward  about  a  stone's  cast, 
only  a  little  way,  to  commune  alone  with  God.  He 
kneeled  down,  a  posture  corresponding  to  the  sorrow  of 
His  soul  (Matt.  xxvi.  37,  38) — Matthew  says  He  "  fell  on 
His  face,"  which  probably  followed  His  kneeling  down — 
and  prayed,  doing  what  He  had  warned  the  disciples  to 
do,  teaching  by  example  as  well  as  precept.  Hear  Him, 
the  man  divine,  bearer  of  our  sins,  assaulted  by  Satan, 
who  left  Him  in  the  wilderness  only  until  occasion  (Luke 
iv.  13)  would  offer  again  to  compass  His  fall. 

42.  Father,  says  the  Son,  the  only-begotten,  He  in 
whom  the  Father  was  ever  well  pleased,  Father,  if  thou  be 
willing — Matthew  and  Mark  have  it,  '*  if  it  be  possible  :  " 
if  it  had  been  possible,  God  would  have  been  willing  : 
He  had  come  into  the  world  saying,  "  Lo,  I  come  to  do 
thy  will,  O  my  God  ;  "  now  He  prays  conditionally. 
Remove  this  cup  from  me.  The  God-man's  cry  for 
deliverance.  Nevertheless,  notwithstanding  my  anguish 
and  intense  desire,  not  my  will,  but  thine,  be  done. 
How  often  He  declared  He  had  no  will  contrary  to  that 
of  His  Father  !  So  now,  in  the  bitterest  hour  of  His 
trial,  He  shows  Himself  "  without  blemish  "  of  any  want 
of  harmony  with  God's  purpose  and  plan.  So  He  had 
taught  the  adopted  ones  to  pray,  "  Thy  will  be  done." 

43.  Here  was  an  answer  to  Jesus'  prayer.  One  of 
God's  holy  ministers  to  men,  an  angel  from  heaven  ap= 


XXII.  43'  44]  CHAPTER  XXll.  4O1 

peared  unto  him,  in  testimony  that  His  prayer  was 
heard  and  that  He  was  dear  to  God,  strengthening  him, 

strengthening  His  human  spirit,  bringing  Him  moral 
support,  and  also  strengthening  His  body  through  the 
influence  of  the  mind.  Here  was  heaven's  testimony, 
which  had  been  accorded  Him  all  through  His  earthly 
pilgrimage.  "  Which  things  angels  desire  to  look  into" 
(i  Pet.  i.  12). 

44.  But  Jesus'  case  was  desperate.  He  was  in  an 
agony  that  is  indescribable  and  inappreciable  by  us. 
His  mind  so  operated  on  His  body  that  his  sweat  be= 
came  as  it  were  great  drops  of  blood  faJling  down  to  the 
ground.  This  was  at  or  after  midnight  on  a  cold  (John 
xviii.  18)  night.  Through  the  body,  the  house  of  the 
soul.  His  anguish  was  manifesting  itself  in  an  intensity 
that  produced  a  bloody  sweat.  (For  this  must  not  be 
jejunely  interpreted  of  the  size  or  thickness  of  the  drops 
of  sweat.  They  were  characterized  by  real  blood,  the 
physician  Luke  says.)  Yet  no  one  had  laid  hands  on 
Him,  and  there  was  no  manifest  cause  for  any  of  these 
sorrows.  Whence  came  they  ?  Why  did  Jesus  suffer 
so?  Surely  it  was  not  a  vivid  apprehension  of  the  pains 
of  crucifixion  which  He  knew  He  would  suffer  on  the 
morrow ;  for  men,  and  even  women  and  children,  have 
been  known  to  look  forward  courageously,  unfalteringly 
toward  as  great  physical  suffering.  There  is  no  reason- 
able explanation  of  this  agony  in  the  garden  except  that 
which  the  Scriptures  give,  that  Jesus,  the  Lamb  of  God, 
was  bearing  the  sin  of  the  world  (John  i.  29,  36),  as  our 
last  lesson  said,  "  was  reckoned  among  the  transgressors," 
and  was  making  "  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin  "  (Is.  liii.  10), 
"  made  sin  for  us  "  (2  Cor.  v.  21).  And  he  prayed  more 
earnestly.      The   other    Evangelists  represent    Him    as 

coming  once  and  again  to  where  Peter,  James  and  John 
26 


402  THE  GOSPEL  OE  ST.  LUKE.  [xxii.  44. 

were,  and  returning  again  to  pray  the  same  words. 
Hebrews  V.  7  calls  these  utterances  of  Jesus  "prayers  and 
supplications  with  strong  crying  and  tears  ; "  says,  too, 
that  He  "was  heard  in  that  he  feared"  (for  His  godly 
fear),  and  "  yet,  though  he  was  a  son,  he  learned  obedience 
by  the  things  which  he  suffered,"  The  cup  and  the  hour 
did  not  pass  from  Him  without  His  drinking  and  endur- 
ing all  that  they  brought.  He  had  put  in  the  condition 
"  if  it  be  possible  :  "  it  was  not  possible.  "  Without  the 
shedding  of  blood  " — "  the  life  is  in  the  blood  "  (Gen.  ix. 
4;  Levit.  xvii.  ii,  14) — "there  is  no  remission"  of  sins. 
Unfathomable  as  it  may  be  by  us,  there  must  be  sacrifice 
for  sin  ;  the  why  or  the  how  is  not  so  important  for  our 
realization  as  \\\Qfact.  As  far  as  mere  physical,  external 
power  was  concerned  it  was,  of  course,  entirely  possible 
for  God  to  save  Jesus — for  Jesus  to  save  Himself  (comp. 
John  xviii.  3-6) — from  death.  However,  it  is  not  written 
God  is  Power,  but  "  God  is  Love."  Jesus,  therefore, 
must  suffer,  to  become  what  He  came  to  be,  and  what 
His  name  signifies,  the  Saviour  of  mankind.  What  a 
dreadful  thing  si7i  is,  that  it  was  not  possible  for  Jesus  to 
be  spared  His  agony  and  death  and  yet  sin  be  forgiven  ! 
What  a  feeble  sense  of  sin  most  of  us  have  !  The  answer 
to  His  prayer  took  the  form  of  "  an  angel  from  heaven 
strengthening  him,"  and  so  God  said  to  Paul  (2  Cor.  xii. 
9),  "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee  :  "  and  so  He  says  to 
vs  in  every  time  of  trouble.  These  two  instances  of  Jesus 
and  Paul  are  remarkable  ones,  illustrating  that  we  do  not 
always  get  just  what  we  ask  for,  especially  when  our  re- 
quests are  for  exemption  from  temporal  evils,  but  yet  we 
are  heard  and  receive  grace  to  bear  what  cannot  be  re- 
moved. Jesus  prayed  thrice  and  Paul  prayed  thrice,  and 
then  they  submitted,  to  bear  what  could  not  be  removed. 
So  we  may  pray  and  pray  again  ;  therein  we  will  receive 


XXII.  44-47-]  CHAPTER    XXII.  403 

strength,  but  not  necessarily  just  what  we  ask.     But  we 
should  never  demand  anything  of  God  ! 

45.  Sleeping  for  sorrow.  It  is  a  psychological  fact 
that  their  state  of  feeling  might  easily  induce  sleep  in 
minds  like  theirs  and  at  such  an  hour  of  night.  The  same 
disciples  were  sleepy  on  the  mount  of  Transfiguration. 
The  flesh  is  weak,  indeed.  Think  of  the  God-man,  the 
Master,  pouring  out  His  heart's  blood  in  the  agony  of  His 
effort  to  save  mankind — while  the  disciples,  even  the 
chosen  ones,  sleep  again  and  again  within  sight  and  sound 
of  the  Redeemer's  agony  !     Poor  human  nature  ! 

46.  Why  sleep  ye  ?  Sorrow  may  be  great,  weakness 
may  be  depressing :  but  these  are  not  to  be  yielded  to  : 
rise,  shake  off  lethargy,  wake,  and  pray :  for  there  is 
great  need,  because  of  great  danger, 

47-53.  While  he  yet  spake,  behold,  a  multitude,  and  he  that  was  called 
Judas,  one  of  the  twelve,  went  before  them ;  and  he  drew  near  unto  Jesus 
to  kiss  him.  But  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Judas,  betrayest  thou  the  Son  of 
man  with  a  kiss?  And  when  they  that  were  about  him  saw  what  would 
follow,  they  said,  Lord,  shall  we  smite  with  the  sword  ?  And  a  certain  one 
of  them  smote  the  servant  of  the  high  priest,  and  struck  off  his  right  ear. 
But  Jesus  answered  and  said.  Suffer  ye  thus  far.  And  he  touched  his  ear, 
and  healed  him.  And  Jesus  said  unto  the  chief  priests,  and  captains  of  the 
temple,  and  elders,  which  were  come  against  him.  Are  ye  come  out,  as 
against  a  robber,  with  swords  and  staves  ?  When  I  was  daily  with  you  in 
the  temple,  ye  stretched  not  forth  your  hands  against  me :  but  this  is  your 
hour,  and  the  power  of  darkness. 

See  on  Matt.  xxvi.  47-56 ;  Mark  xiv.  43-52  ;  John  xviii. 
2-12. 

47.  Went  before  them.  Peculiar  to  Luke,  Judas  is 
plainly  with  Jesus'  enemies  now  ;  the  treachery  of  his 
heart  is  now  acting  itself  out.  Judas  is  showing  what  he 
is,  and  fulfilling  the  Lord's  prediction  concerning  him, 
given  more  than  once.  What  is  the  traitor  now  going  to 
do  ?     To  kiss  him  I     That  was  the  sign  or  token  he  had 


404  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxii.  47-53. 

given  them.  "Whomsoever  I  shall  kiss,  that  is  he." 
Ah,  a  Judas  kiss,  the  emblem  of  love  turned  to  a  device 
of  treason  !  According  to  the  other  Evangelists,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  defiling  Jesus'  cheek  with  his  poisoned  kisses. 
Luke  merely  relates  Jesus'  fine  rebuke,  showing  His 
knowledge  and  dignity,  Judas,  betrayest  thou  the  Son  of 
man  with  a  kiss  ? 

49-51.  Now  the  other  disciples  saw  what  would  follow. 
The  events  taking  place  fast  explained  things  Jesus  had 
said  to  them  before.  Mysteries  were  clearing  up  through 
mysteries  then  taking  place.  What  shall  the  disciples 
do?  What  can  they  do  ?  Who  will  direct  them  now? 
Lord,  shall  we  smite  with  the  sword  ?  they  perplexedly 
cry,  and  straightway  one  of  them,  Peter,  made  a  cut  at 
the  assailing  crowd,  and  cut  off  Malchus'  right  ear. 
Peter  meant  it  well  ;  but  when  Jesus,  a  few  hours  before 
(see  ver.  36),  bade  them  provide  themselves  with  purse 
and  scrip  and  sword,  He  did  not  mean  it  for  His  defence. 
Legions  of  angels  (Matt.  xxvi.  53)  were  at  His  call,  if  He 
desired  them.  So  the  Lord,  saying  to  those  that  had 
bound  and  were  holding  Him,  Suffer  ye  thus  far,  and 
motioning  as  though  to  reach  the  wounded  man,  when 
they  allowed  Him  the  freedom  of  His  arm  as  He  desired, 
touched  his  ear,  Malchus'  ear,  and  healed  him,  exhibiting 
His  love  and  healing  power  upon  His  enemies,  and  show- 
ing that  He  came  not  to  destroy  men's  lives  but  to  save 
them.  This  miracle  seems  to  have  made  no  impression 
on  the  heart  of  Malchus  or  of  the  crowd.  They  were 
bent  on  the  one  thing — to  destroy  Jesus. 

52,  53.  Luke  alone  represents  the  chief  priests  and  the 
elders  as  among  the  crowd  and  as  chiefly  addressed  in 
Jesus'  words  of  keen  remonstrance  for  the  method  they 
took  and  the  false  impression  it  naturally  produced. 
Daily,  openly,  unarmed,  undefended,  I  was  with  you,  in 


XXII.  53-  5 1-]  CHAPTER  XXII.  405 

the  temple,  the  chief  place  of  resort,  and  ye  stretched  not 
forth  your  hands  to  take  me.  Yet  now  ye  bring  the 
temple  guard  and  search  for  me  in  this  lone  place  under 
cover  of  the  night !  True  enough,  they  wanted  badly  to 
lay  hands  on  Him,  but  were  afraid  of  the  people.  But 
this  is  your  hour,  He  adds,  remembering  the  Scriptures 
and  all  things  concerning  Himself  that  must  be  fulfilled. 
In  all  their  proceedings  there  was  nothing  unexpected  to 
Him  who  knew  the  Scriptures  so  well  and  yielded  Him- 
self up  so  willingly,  in  harmony  with  the  testimony  of 
those  Scriptures  concerning  Himself. 

And  the  power — the  word  used  denotes  delegated  or 
conceded  authority — of  darkness.  Some  interpret  this, 
literally,  of  the  then  midnight  hour ;  others  give  it  the 
ethical  sense.  As  God  is  light,  and  all  that  is  opposed 
to  God  is  set  forth  as  darkness,  we  must  see  here  an 
acknowledgment  of  the  temporary  triumph,  allowed  by 
God,  of  all  the  powers  of  evil. 

54.     And  they  seized  him,  and  led  him  away,  and  brought  him  into  the 
high  priest's  house.     But  Peter  followed  afar  off. 

54.  All  the  accounts,  especially  in  connection  with  the 
statement  in  John  xviii.  6,  show  that  Jesus  allowed  Him- 
self to  be  taken  at  their  will.  He  was  neither  surprised, 
nor  outwitted,  nor  overpowered.  "  He  gave  Jiivisclf  a 
ransom  for  all."  They  took  Him  to  the  high  priest's 
house.  John  says  they  took  Him  first  to  Annas,  father- 
in-law  of  Caiaphas  the  high  priest,  who  had  previously 
been  high  priest.  It  is  not  improbable  that  they  lived  in 
the  same  house.  Annas  seems  to  have  given  Jesus  an 
informal  examination,  recorded  in  John  xviii.  19-23,  and 
then  to  have  handed  Him  over  to  Caiaphas,  who,  along 
with  many  of  the  members  of  the  Sanhedrin,  gave  Him 
a  more  formal  examination,  but  yet  not  a  legal  one,  since 


4o6  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxii.  54-56. 

no  legal  meeting  of  the  Sanhedrin  could  be  held  before 
sunrise.  Matthew  and  Mark  report  the  informal  exami- 
nation and  hint  at  the  other,  which  was  only  a  repetition 
of  the  former,  whilst  Luke  relates  more  fully  the  formal 
examination  and  condemnation.  Peter's  denial,  then, 
occurred  in  the  time  between  the  close  of  Annas'  exami- 
nation and  the  close  of  Caiaphas'  examination  before  the 
morning  rose.  Some  think  there  was  only  one  examina- 
tion, i.  e.  after  daybreak,  reported  by  Matthew  and  Mark 
by  anticipation.     The  other  view  is  better. 

But  Peter,  who  at  first  fled  with  the  other  apostles, 
followed  afar  off,  at  what  he  considered  a  safe  distance. 
John  appears  to  have  returned  from  flight  quicker  and 
closer  than  Peter,  as  we  read  in  John  xviii.  15,  16.  He 
entered  in  with  Jesus  into  the  court  of  the  high  priest, 
where  he  was  known,  and  through  him  it  was  that  Peter 
who  was  standing  at  the  gate  was  admitted.  On  Peter's 
denial  comp.  Matt.  xxvi.  58,  69-75  ;  Mark  xiv.  54,  66-72  ; 
John  xviii.  15-18,  25-27. 

55.  And  when  they  had  kindled  a  fire  in  the  midst  of  the  court,  and  had 
sat  down  together,  Peter  sat  in  the  midst  of  them. 

55.  These  were  the  servants  belonging  to  the  establish- 
ment, and  the  of^cers  under  the  Sanhedrin.  There  they 
all  were  gathered  in  the  midst  of  the  court  or  quadrangle 
around  which  the  house  was  built,  where  they  had  kin= 
died  a  fire  that  cool  morning  early  in  April.  There  they 
were  sitting  chatting  around  the  fire  and  Peter  in  among 
them,  listening  rather  than  saying  anything,  busy  with 
his  thoughts. 

56,  57.  And  a  certain  maid  seeing  him  as  he  sat  in  the  light  of  the  fire, 
and  looking  stedfastly  upon  him,  said,  This  man  also  was  with  him.  But 
he  denied,  saying,  Woman,  I  know  him  not. 

56,  57.  Women  are  curious — so  are  men!     Now  a  cer- 


XXII.  56-59-]  CHAPTER    XXII.  407 

tain  maid,  belonging  to  the  establishment,  scrutinizing 
Peter  carefully,  as  he  sat  in  the  light  of  the  fire,  came  up 
with  the  serious  charge,  This  man  also  was  with  him. 
Peter  was  startled  and  quickly  denied  the  impeachment, 
saying,  Woman,  I  know  him  not,  or  rather,  colloquially, 
*'  I  don't  know  him,  woman."  Peter  here  took  counsel 
of  his  fears.  What  he  said  was  out  of  his  lips  almost 
before  he  knew  it. 

58.  And  after  a  little  while  another  saw  him,  and  said,  Thou  also  art  one 
of  them.     But  Peter  said,  Man,  I  am  not. 

58.  Presently  another,  this  time  a  man,  observing  him 
and  quickly  concluding  who  he  was,  boldly  charged,  Thou 
also  art  one  of  them,  one  of  these  followers  of  Jesus. 
Peter  thought  to  get  off  as  well  as  before,  and  with  some 
confusion  and  haste  said,  flan,  I  am  not.  Matthew  speaks 
of  another  woman,  and  Mark  (Revision)  of  the  same 
maid  again,  as  pointing  Peter  out  to  the  bystanders,  and 
say  that  he  had  moved  out  toward  the  door,  into  the 
forecourt,  away  from  the  fire,  where  he  Avould  be  less  ob- 
served ;  and  Mark  refers  to  the  crowing  of  a  cock  about 
that  time.  No  doubt  Peter  felt  very  much  alone  in  that 
company,  and  on  the  defensive  against  all  of  them,  who 
seemed,  he  thought,  to  be  watching  him. 

59-62.  And  after  the  space  of  about  one  hour  another  confidently 
atifirmed,  saying,  Of  a  truth  this  man  also  was  witli  him  :  for  he  is  a  Gali- 
la^an.  But  Peter  said,  Man,  I  know  not  what  thou  sayest.  And  imme- 
diately, while  he  yet  spake,  the  cock  crew.  And  the  Lord  turned,  and  look- 
ed upon  Peter.  And  Peter,  remembered  the  word  of  the  Lord,  how  that  he 
said  unto  him,  Before  the  cock  crow  this  day,  thou  shalt  deny  me  thrice. 
And  he  went  out  and  wept  bitterly. 

59.  There  was  not  much  respite  for  Peter.  About  one 
hour  afterwards   Satan    came   on   with   a   fiercer    attack. 


4o8  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxii.  59-62. 

Had  Peter  been  strengthening  himself  in  God  mean- 
while? It  does  not  seem  so.  Now  another,  a  man,  sup- 
ported by  the  by-standers,  who  had  probably  been  talking 
the  matter  over,  confidently,  despite  previous  denials, 
affirmed  that  Peter  surely  belonged  to  Jesus'  party,  and 
gave  as  corroborative  evidence,  for  he  is  a  Galilaean. 

60,  61.  Peter  replied  again,  flan,  I  know  not  what 
thou  sayest.  But  when  a  kinsman  of  Malchus,  whose 
ear  Peter  had  cut  off  at  the  arrest,  said,  "  Did  not  I  see 
thee  in  the  garden  with  him  ?"  and  when  one  and  an- 
other afifirmed  that  it  was  so,  then  Peter  even  began  to 
curse  and  to  swear  to  his  denial  (Matt.,  Mk.).  And  im- 
mediately, before  the  words  were  all  off  his  lips,  the  cock 
crew  again,  and  just  then  the  Lord,  who  was  probably  in 
a  room  opening  on  the  court  or  on  a  porch  leading  down 
to  it,  surrounded  by  His  fierce  accusers,  turned  and 
looked  upon  Peter.  What  a  look  of  pitying  compassion 
as  well  as  reproof  that  must  have  been!  Peter  saw  it 
and  remembered  the  warning  Jesus  had  so  lately  given 
him  and  the  prophecy  of  his  denial,  now  so  minutely 
fulfilled. 

62.  And  he  went  out  of  the  court  and  wept  bitterly. 
But  his  tears  could  not  recall  his  words  or  undo  his  denial 
and  his  fall.  Peter's  downfall  began  wdth  sclf-confidcnce 
and  iimvatcJif Illness.  "  Men  fall  in  private  long  before 
they  fall  in  public.  The  tree  falls  with  a  great  crash, 
but  the  decay  which  accounts  for  it  is  often  not  dis- 
covered till  it  is  down  on  the  ground  "  (Ryle).  Some 
will  lie  to  get  out  of  difficulty,  and  think  it  no  harm  ; 
but  one  lie  leads  on  to  another,  and  he  who  denies  his 
CJiristian  principle  therein  denies  Christ.  External  posi- 
tion does  not  secure  our  safety,  but  internal  union  with 
Christ.  One  apostle  out  of  twelve  became  a  traitor; 
another  denied  his  Lord.       It  would,  however,  be  false 


XXII.  63-67.]  CHAPTER  XXII.  409 

logic  to  say  that,  therefore,  there  are  no  true  disciples 
and  religion  is  vanity  and  nothing. 

63-65.  And  the  men  that  held  Jesus  mocked  him,  and  beat  him.  And 
they  blindfolded  him,  and  asked  him,  saying.  Prophesy :  who  is  he  that 
struck  thee .''     And  many  other  things  spake  they  against  him,  reviling  him. 

63-65.  The  account  now  returns  to  Jesus.  Those  who 
held  Jesus  at  this  time  were  Jewish  officers,  who  sym- 
pathized with  their  rulers.  They  mocked  Him  in  various 
ways.  (Comp.  Matt.  xxvi.  6j,  68  ;  Mark,  xiv.  65.)  They 
beat  him,  boxing  Him  on  the  ear,  slapping  Him  in  the 
face,  and  even  spat  in  His  face.  O  holy,  innocent,  gentle 
Jesus,  what  shameful  indignities  put  upon  thee !  The 
sinless  one  made  sin  for  us  !  And  they  blindfolded  him, 
mockingly  bidding  him  prophesy,  tell  out,  who  struck 
Him  at  different  times.  AH  this  was  awful  enough  ;  but 
Luke  says  there  were  many  other  things  that  entered 
into  this  shameless  reviling  of  the  meek  and  lowly,  the 
pure  and  holy  One. 

66-69.  A"d  as  soon  as  it  was  day,  the  assembly  of  the  elders  of  the 
people  was  gathered  together,  both  chief  priests  and  scribes ;  and  they  led 
him  away  into  their  council,  saying.  If  thou  art  the  Christ,  tell  us.  But  he 
said  unto  them,  If  I  tell  you,  ye  will  not  believe :  and  if  I  ask  you,  ye  will 
not  answer.  But  from  henceforth  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  seated  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  power  of  God. 

66-69.  ^^  ^**®"  ^^  *^  ^^*  ^^y  the  Sanhedrin  could 
hold  a  lawful  session,  and  now  they  had  their  assembly  to 

legally  (in  form)  do  what  they  had  already  determined 
on.  Luke  seems  here  to  give  us  but  the  conclusion  and 
sum  of  this  proceeding.     If  thou  art  the  Christ,  tell    us. 

What  they  wanted  was  to  get  an  expression  from  Jesus' 
own  lips  which  they  could  construe  as  blasphemy. 
Matthew  reports  that  the  high  priest,  alarmed  at  Jesus' 
silence  and  fearing  he  would  not  get  the  desired  expres- 


410  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxii.  67-70. 

sion,  put  Him  on  oath  "  by  the  Hving  God  "  (Matt.  xxvi. 

63). 

Jesus  knew  them  well,  and  their  purpose.  If  I  tell  you, 
ye  will  not  believe  ;  for  ye  are  not  seeking  the  truth,  but 
to  condemn  me  ;  and  ye  have  steadily  refused  to  believe 
all  the  testimonies  of  heaven,  earth  and  hell  already  given 
to  me.  And  if  I  ask,  that  is,  question  you,  ye  will  not 
answer.  Jesus  here  charged  them  with  not  being  honest 
and  sincere,  and  with  pretending  to  an  examination  into 
truth  while  they  were  seeking  only  a  predetermined  re- 
sult. But,  whatever  you  may  do  or  think  or  say,  from 
henceforth,  rather,  from  this  present  time,  from  now  on, 
the  Son  of  man,  even  I,  now  apparently  so  helpless 
before  you,  in  3^our  toils,  shall  be  seated  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  power  of  God — equal  in  power  and  glory. 
Yes,  the  Son  of  man,  the  God-man,  will  from  now  on 
appear  what  He  is,  and  His  position  will  vindicate  His 
claim. 

Matthew  and  Mark  report  Him  also  as  telling  them 
they  will  see  Him  "  coming  on  the  clouds  of  heaven." 

70,  71.  And  they  all  said,  Art  thou  then  the  Son  of  God?  And  he  said 
unto  them.  Ye  say  that  I  am.  And  they  said.  What  further  need  have  we 
of  witness  ?  for  we  ourselves  have  heard  from  his  own  mouth. 

70.  Then,  seeing  He  was  so  near  a  categorical  reply, 
so  near  to  exactly  what  they  wanted,  they  all  said  with 
one  accord,  pressing  upon  Him  for  an  answer,  Thou,  then, 
art  the  Son  of  God  ?  (He  had  called  Himself,  as  usual, 
the  Son  of  man,  while  claiming  to  be  the  Son  of  the 
Highest.)  Jesus  then  replied.  Ye  say  that  I  am  ;  that 
is,  You  are  right,  I  am  ! 

"  In  the  days  of  His  happier  ministry,  when  they  would 
have  taken  Him  by  force  to  make  Him  a  king,  He  had 
kept  His  title  of  Messiah  utterly  in  the  background  ;  but 
now,  at    this   awful   decisive  moment,  when  death  was 


xxii.  70,  7I-]  CHAPTER  XXII.  411 

near, — when,  humanly  speaking,  nothing  could  be  gained, 
everything  iimst  be  lost,  by  the  avowal, — there  thrilled 
through  all  the  ages  the  solemn  answer,  '  I  am '  " 
(Farrar). 

71.  If  Jesus  had  denied  what  they  asked  Him,  He 
would  have  been  false  like  them.  And  now  when  He 
plainly  told  the  truth  about  Himself,  they  construe  it 
into  blasphemy,  and  seek  no  further  witness.  The  truth 
of  God  they  turn  into  a  lie.  They  judged  Him  worthy 
of  death. 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

1.  And  the  whole  company  of  them  rose  up,  and  brought  him  before 
Pilate. 

Comp.,  in  connection  with  the  first  five  verses,  Matt. 
xxvii.  I,  2,  1 1 -14  ;   Mark  xv.  1-5  ;  John  xviii.  28-38. 

1.  What  Jesus'  enemies  were  determined  on  was  His 
death.  Blasphemy  by  their  law  was  punishable  with 
death  (Lev.  xxiv.  16).  But  the  Romans,  now  in  power  in 
Palestine,  had  reserved  to  themselves  the  right  of  inflict- 
ing the  death  penalty.  Therefore,  to  accomplish  their 
purpose,  Jesus'  enemies  must  go  to  Pilate,  then  Roman 
Procurator  (Governor)  of  Judaea.  Pilate  was  now  at  his 
official  residence  in  Herod's  palace  in  Jerusalem.  Thither 
they  went  to  secure  legal  sentence  of  death  against  Him. 

2.  And  they  began  to  accuse  him,  saying.  We  found  this  man  perverting 
our  nation,  and  forbidding  to  give  tribute  to  Cffisar,  and  saying  that  he 
himself  is  Christ  a  king. 

2.  Arrived  there  they  began  to  accuse  him.     But  their 

accusation  of  blasphemy  will  avail   nothing  with   Pilate. 

The  Romans  did  not  recognize  the  God  of  Israel,  or  count 

among  crimes   anything  said   or  done   against  Him.      So 

the  Jews  must  resort  to  some  other  charge.     Pilate  would 

not  take  up  such  a  general  charge  as  that  He  was  "  an 

evil-doer."      So    they    cunningly    trump    up    a    political 

charge.     We  found  this  one,  this   fellow  (they  will   not 

even  honor  Him  with  His  name),  perverting,  distracting, 

our  nation  (here  they  charge  Him  with  what  they  them- 

412 


XXIII.  2-4.]  CHAPTER  XXIII.  413 

selves  were  doing — a  not  uncommon  procedure  even  now 
among  partisans  and  violent  men),  and  forbidding  to  give 
tribute  to  Cassar  (which  was  the  most  galling  thing  they 
had  to  do,  and  deliverance  from  which,  from  almost  any 
source,  they  would  have  welcomed  with  joy).  They  had, 
indeed,  failed  to  get  Him  to  compromise  Himself  with 
the  Romans  on  this  very  matter  (Luke  xx.  20-26),  and 
this  charge  was  an  unmixed  lie.  Saying  that  he  himself 
is  Christ  a  king.  There  was  some  truth  in  this,  but  it 
was  so  stated,  and  so  combined  with  the  preceding  charge, 
as  to  produce  a  false  impression,  and  was  a  malicious  mis- 
representation. When  the  people  wanted  to  take  Him 
and  make  Him  such  a  king  as  they  now  suggested  (John 
vi.  15),  He  withdrew  from  them.  His  late  triumphal 
entry  into  Jerusalem  illustrated  the  kind  of  king  He  was 
and  professed  to  be :  but  that  was  open  and  before  the 
Romans  and  they  took  no  umbrage  at  it.  But  Pilate 
must  guard  Caesar's  interests,  to  protect  his  own. 

3.     And  Pilate  asked  him,  saying,  Art  thou  the  King  of  the  Jews .?     And 
he  answered  him  and  said,  Thou  sayest. 

3.  John  gives  a  much  fuller  account.  Luke  simply 
gives  the  question  and  answer,  in  which  Jesus  boldly 
affirms  that  He  is  the  king  of  the  Jews.  The  first  two 
evangelists  tell  also  that  the  chief  priests  and  elders  laid 
many  accusations  against  Him,  to  which  Jesus  made  no 
reply  whatever,  and  remained  equally  silent  when  Pilate 
called  His  attention  to  them.  (Comp.  Ls.  liii.  7.)  The 
Roman  Procurator  was  struck  with  wonder  at  his  prisoner  ; 
he  had  never  encountered  the  like. 

4.  And  Pilate  said  unto  the  chief  priests  and  the  multitudes,  I  find  no 
fault  in  this  man. 

4.  Here  was  his  deliberate  judgment — I  find  no  fault 
in  this   man.     The   several  accounts  show  that    Pilate 


414  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiii.  4-7. 

formally  expressed  this  judgment  no  less  than  four  times, 
and  that  he  in  every  way  showed  his  belief  of  Jesus' 
innocence. 

5.  But  they  were  the  more  urgent,  saying,  He  stirreth  up  the  people, 
teaching  throughout  all  Judaea,  and  beginning  from  Galilee  even  unto  this 
place. 

5.  Jesus'  accusers  began  to  fear  they  would  be  foiled 
after  all,  and  they  were  the  more  urgent  in  the  suit 
against  Him.  He  stirreth  up  the  people,  they  say,  falsely 
again  :  for  though  multitudes  attended  and  followed  Jesus, 
there  never  was  any  attempt  at  a  political  stir,  Avhich  was 
here  meant,  but  everytJiing  to  the  contrary.  Teaching. 
Yes,  this  was  true,  but  all  His  teaching  tended  to  order 
and  better  conduct  among  all  classes.  Their  accusation 
here  is  a  side-light  on  the  extent  of  Jesus'  ministry  and 
influence.  Throughout  all  Judaea,  beginning  from  Gali= 
lee.  "  Not  without  hostile  intentions  have  the  Jews 
named  Galilee,  since  the  hatred  of  the  Procurator  against 
the  Galileans  and  against  Herod  was  well  known  to  them  ; 
they  hope  therewith  to  engage  him  the  more  against  our 
Saviour,  as  a  Galilean  "  (Van  Oost.).     Comp.  Luke  xiii.  i. 

6,  7.  But  when  Pilate  heard  it,  he  asked  whether  the  man  were  a  Gali- 
Icean.  And  when  he  knew  that  he  was  of  Herod's  jurisdiction,  he  sent  him 
unto  Herod,  who  himself  also  was  at  Jerusalem  in  these  days. 

6,  7.  If  such  was  their  design  they  were  disappointed 
in  it.  He  sent  him  to  Herod  as  Tetrarch  of  Galilee — most 
persons  think,  to  get  rid  of  a  troublesome  case  ;  others 
suggest,  in  the  hope  of  getting  a  favorable  opinion  from 
Herod,  to  strengthen  his  own  judgment  of  "no  fault  in 
him,"  or,  at  least,  to  get  some  further  light  in  the  matter. 
Herod  was  at  Jerusalem  in  these  days  of  the  Feast,  as  a 
Jew  in  religion. 

8.     Now  when  Herod  saw  Jesus,  he  was  exceeding  glad:  for  he  was  of  a 


xxiir.  8-II.]  CHAPTER  XXIII.  415 

long  time  desirous  to  see  him,  because  he  had  heard  concerning  him  ;  and 
he  hoped  to  see  some  miracle  done  by  him. 

8.  Remember  what  sort  of  man  this  Tetrarch  was.  He 
was  a  Herod — and  that  is  saying  a  good  deal.  It  was  he 
who  so  shamelessly  abandoned  his  own  wife  for  his 
brother  Philip's  wife.  At  her  fiendish  instigation  he  had 
cut  off  John  the  Baptist's  head,  and,  conscious  of  guilt, 
was  presently  startled  at  what  he  heard  about  Jesus,  and 
cried  out,  "  It  is  John  the  Baptist  ;  he  is  risen  from  the 
dead  ;  and  therefore  mighty  works  do  show  forth  them- 
selves in  him  "  (Matt.  xiv.  2).  See  Luke  ix.  7-9.  That 
now  he  was  exceeding  glad  to  see  Jesus  only  illustrates 
his  curiosity.  Some  miracle  done  by  him.  Herod  looked 
upon  Jesus  as  a  wonder-worker.  "Jesus  was  to  entertain 
him,  as  a  mighty  magician,  divert  him,  or  perhaps  foretell 
luck  to  his  egotistic  superstition  ;  anything  else  he  sought 
not  of  Him  "  (Lange). 

9,  ID.  And  he  questioned  him  in  many  words :  but  he  answered  him 
nothing.  And  tlie  chief  priests  and  tlie  scribes  stood,  veliemently  accusing 
him. 

9,  10.  So  Herod  questioned  him  in  many  words.    The 

nature  of  his  questions  is  not  given  ;  but  they  were  not 
heart  questions,  evidently.  Herod  was  none  concerned 
for  his  soul.  Doubtless  his  questions  were  prompted  by 
curiosity.  But  he  answered  him  nothing,  Jesus  did  not 
deign  him  a  word :  He  never  satisfied  mere  curiosity,  by 
either  word  or  work.  Nor  could  the  vehemence  of  the 
Jewish  authorities  move  the  Innocent  to  a  single  word  in 
reply.  "  As  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he 
opened  not  His  mouth  "  (Is.  liii.  7).     Speaking  silence  ! 

II.  And  Herod  with  his  soldiers  set  him  at  nought  and  mocked  him, 
and  arraying  him  in  gorgeous  apparel  sent  him  back  to  Pilate. 

II.  A  pretty  business  for  Herod  with  his  soldiers,  to 


4i6  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiii.  ii,  12. 

set  at  nought,  mock,  deride  an  innocent,  seemingly  help- 
less prisoner !  Royal  and  soldierly  conduct,  indeed ! 
"The  priests  accuse  the  Saviour,  the  courtiers  mock  him. 
With  the  first  it  is  hatred,  with  the  others  contempt  that 
strikes  the  key.  Scofifing  is  here  the  vengeance  of  in- 
sulted pride,  and  reveals  itself  in  a  peculiar  form  "  (Van 
OOST.).  He  arrayed  him  in  a  gorgeous  robe  [^(J^^ra  ^a/iTr/^'^^] 
— not  the  purple  robe  afterwards  put  on  Him  by  the 
Roman  soldiers  (Matt,  xxvii.  28;  Mark  xv.  17  ;  John  xix. 
2,  5)  ;  but  probably  a  shining  white  one  (as  the  same 
words  signify  in  xxiv.  4  and  Acts  x.  30),  the  Jewish  royal 
color,  and  sent  him  back  to  Pilate.  Thus  little  did  he 
do  to  protect  his  subject  ;  thus  much  to  humiliate  and 
insult  and  give  Him  over  to  the  Romans.  "  He  could 
and  ought  rather  to  have  dismissed  him.  Therefore  in 
sending  back  the  innocent  to  Pilate,  he  involved  himself 
in  Pilate's  guilt.    Acts  iv.  27"  (Bengel). 

12.     And  Herod  and  Pilate  became  friends  with  each  other  that  very 
day :  for  before  they  were  at  enmity  between  themselves. 

12.  The  cause  of  the  previous  enmity  between  these 
two  rulers  is  not  certainly  known.  It  may  have  been  the 
massacre  of  Galileans  mentioned  in  Luke  xiii.  i  ;  it  may 
have  been  a  disputed  point  of  jurisdiction,  in  which  each 
of  them  seems  to  yield  to  the  other  by  the  sending  of 
Jesus  back  and  forth.  "  This  result,  however,  appears  at 
any  rate  remarkable  enough  to  the  delicate  psychologist, 
Luke,  not  to  be  passed  by  unmentioned.  In  view  of  the 
general  publicity  of  this  unexpected  reconciliation,  this 
remark  affords  at  the  same  time  an  indirect  but  yet  a 
very  strong  proof  of  the  truth  of  the  event  related " 
(Van  Oost.).     That  very  day  they  became  friends. 

13-16.     And  Pilate  called  together  the  chief  priests  and  the  rulers  and 
the  people,  and  said  unto  them,  Ye  brought  unto  me  this  man,  as  one  that 


XXIII.  I3-I7-]  CHAPTER  XXIIL  417 

perverteth  the  people ;  and  behold,  I,  having  examined  him  before  you, 
found  no  fault  in  this  man  touching  those  things  whereof  ye  accuse  him  : 
No,  nor  yet  Herod ;  for  he  sent  him  back  unto  us :  and  behold,  nothing 
worthy  of  death  hath  been  done  by  him.  I  will  therefore  chastise  him,  and 
release  him. 


13,  14.  The  Roman  Procurator,  much  to  his  perplexity, 
still  had  Jesus  on  his  hands.  The  decision  of  the  case 
reverts  again  to  him.  He,  therefore,  called  together  not 
only  the  Jewish  authorities,  but  the  people  also,  to  state 
to  them  his  decision.  He  evidently  wanted  to  keep  on 
the  good  side  of  the  Jews.  He  outlined  the  situation, 
stating  that  they  were  the  prosecutors — Ye  brought  to  me 
this  man,  and  the  crime  alleged — as  one  that  perverteth 
the  people  (see  ver.  2),  a  disturber  of  the  peace,  an  inciter 
of  insurrection  :  then  the  examination  and  its  results — 
Behold,  I,  who  indeed  am  most  solicitous  to  prevent  such 
things  and  am  entirely  competent  to  judge  of  them, 
having  examined  him,  and  that,  before  you  (as  well  as 
privately,  John  xviii.  33-38),  found  no  fault  in  Him  such 
as  alleged. 

15,  16.  Now  he  added  the  judgment  of  Herod  to  his 
own — he  sent  him  back  without  any  sentence,  and  clearly 
nothing  worthy  of  death  hath  been  done  by  him.  "  He 
hath  done  no  violence,  neither  was  any  deceit  in  his 
mouth"  (Is.  liii.  9).  I  will  therefore  chastise  him  and 
release  him.  But  why,  O  judge,  chastise  an  innocent 
man,  one  so  oft  pronounced  innocent  by  thyself  ?  Ah, 
here  Pilate  shows  his  weakness,  leans  to  policy,  and  shows 
he  does  not  want  to  hurt  the  Jews'  feelings  too  much, 
enough  to  make  them  still  more  hostile  to  him.  Had 
Pilate  been  a  man  he  would  have  said,  "  The  prisoner  is 
dismissed  !  " 

Ver.  17,  which  reads,  in  parentheses,  in  the  "Author- 
ized Version,"  "  For  of  necessity  he  must  release  one 
27 


4i8  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiii.  17-19 

unto  them  at  the  feast,"  is  found  in  many  ancient  author- 
ities, and  is  so  inserted  in  tlie  margin  of  the  "  Revised 
Version,"  but  is  excluded  from  the  text.  What  it  states 
is,  however,  a  fact.  A  custom  had  grown  up,  which  came 
to  have  the  authority  of  an  unwritten  law,  of  releasing  a 
prisoner,  of  the  Jews'  choice,  at  the  passover.  It  may 
have  been  a  symbolic  setting  forth  of  the  passover  idea — 
release  from  bondage,  release  from  sin,  free  grace.  Pilate, 
as  Matthew  and  John  both  show,  now  had  recourse  to 
this  custom,  thinking  the  people  would,  of  course,  prefer 
Jesus  to  the  other  notable  prisoner  then  in  bonds,  as  they 
would  not  be  influenced  by  the  envy  which  he  clearly 
saw  influenced  their  chief  priests  and  other  rulers.  Prob- 
ably at  this  stage  of  the  proceedings  the  word  from  Pilate's 
wife  (Matt,  xxvii.  19)  was  brought,  urging  him  to  keep 
hands  off  "  that  just  man."  Meanwhile  the  chief  priests 
and  elders  used  the  opportunity  to  persuade  the  crowd 
to  prefer  Barabbas  and  call  for  his  release. 

18,  19.  But  they  cried  out  all  together,  saying,  Away  with  this  man,  and 
release  unto  us  Barabbas :  one  who  for  a  certain  insurrection  made  in  the 
city,  and  for  murder,  was  cast  into  prison. 

18,  19.  But,  unexpectedly  to  the  Procurator,  they 
cried  out  all  together,  the  people  along  with  their  rulers. 
Away  with  this  man — "  He  was  despised  and  rejected  of 
men,  and  as  one  from  whom  men  hide  their  face  he  was 
despised  "  (Is.  liii.  3) — and  release  unto  us  Barabbas. 
The  Evangelist  explains  who  this  Barabbas  was  ;  that 
for  an  insurrection  and  for  murder  he  was  held  a  pris- 
oner. (See  also  ver.  25.)  He  was  a  double  criminal,  guilty 
by  both  Roman  and  Jewish  law.  He  had  done  what  the 
chief  priests  had  falsely  charged  against  Jesus.  But  they 
plead /"c^r  him  and  against  Jesus.  Anything  to  get  rid  of 
Jesus  !  (Comp.  Matt,  xxvii.  15-26  ;  Markxv.  6-15  ;  John 
xviii.  39,  40.) 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


419 


20,  21.  And  Pilate  spake  unto  them  again,  desiring  to  release  Jesus  ; 
but  they  shouted,  saying.  Crucify  him,  crucify  him. 

20.  Again  Pilate  spake  for  Jesus,  desiring  to  release 

Him.  But  what  a  spectacle — a  man  in  authority,  know- 
ing the  right,  having  declared  the  right,  representative  of 
a. great  world-power  whose  boast  was  the  protection  it 
gave  its  citizens,  a  man  whose  very  position  made  him 
the  defender  of  the  innocent,  the  strength  of  the  weak, 
and  yet  now  almost  begging  of  the  multitude  to  let  him 
do  the  right  ! 

21.  But  they  saw  his  timidity,  they  knew  their  man, 
and  now  they  shouted  their  deprecation  of  his  purpose 
and  their  will   concerning  Jesus,  saying,  Crucify,  crucify 

■  him  !  They  were  like  wild  beasts  close  on  to  their  prey. 
Pilate's  hesitation  made  them  only  the  more  defiant  ; 
they  will  make  the  Roman  Procurator  do  the  will  of  the 
Jews  this  time  at  all  events ! 

Where  at  this  time  are  all  those  who,  six  days  before, 
so  enthusiastically  shouted,  "  Hosanna  ;  blessed  be  the 
king  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,"  etc.  ? 
Ah,  they  were  now  in  the  background  ;  another  crowd 
now  has  sway,  and  it  is  headed  by  the  rulers  and, 
therefore,  has  more  sway.  That  was  their  hour,  this  is 
the  hour  of  the  power  of  darkness,  that  is  using  the 
Sanhedrin  and  the  persuaded  multitudes  as  its  instru- 
ments. Jerusalem  was  full  of  multitudes  upon  multi- 
tudes at  this  passover  time. 

22.  And  he  said  unto  them  the  third  time,  Why,  what  evil  hath  this  man 
done  ?  I  have  found  no  cause  of  death  in  liim  :  I  will  therefore  chastise 
him  and  release  him. 

22.  The  third  time,  and  even  oftener,  as  John  xix. 
4-16  shows,  Pilate  pronounces  a  judgment  of  acquittal, 
and  shows  he  ougJit  to  release  Him,  but  also  at  the  same 
time  shows  his  desire  to  please  the  Jews  by  proposing,  as 


42 o  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xx in.  22-24. 

a  compromise,  to  chastise  him,  and  this  in  the  same 
breath  with  the  question,  Why,  what  evil  hath  this 
man  done?  The  "  why"  here  is  a  translation  of  the 
Greek  z'^/',  which  is  used  for  illustration  and  confirmation  ; 
it  is  not  an  interrogative,  but  an  inferential  word. 

No  cause  of  death  in  him.  No:  He  "died  for  us  ;  " 
the  cause  was  in  us.     "  The  Lord  of  glory  dies  for  men." 

23.  But  they  were  instant  with  loud  voices,  asking  that  he  might  be  cru- 
cified.    And  their  voices  prevailed. 

23.  They  were  instant,  urgent,  they  lay  upon  him, 
with  loud  voices  of  excitement  and  determination, 
asking  that  he  might  be  crucified.  Neither  Jesus' 
character,  known  everywhere,  nor  His  works,  equally 
famous  and  always  beneficent,  nor  the  Roman's  voice 
were  listened  to  by  this  howling  mob,  but  only  their 
wilful  prejudice.  And  their  voices  prevailed.  "  Him^," 
said  Peter  (Acts  ii.  2}^),  speaking  to  the  "  men  of  Israel," 
"  being  delivered  up  by  the  determinate  counsel  and 
foreknowledge  of  God,  ye  by  the  hands  of  lawless  men 
did  crucify  and  slay:"  and,  again  addressing  them, 
(Acts  iii.  13)  said,  "  Whom  ye  delivered  up,  and  denied 
before  the  face  of  Pilate,  when  he  had  determined  to  re- 
lease him.  But  ye  denied  the  Holy  and  Righteous  One, 
and  asked  for  a  murderer  to  be  granted  unto  you."  So 
in  a  prayer  of  the  early  church  they  said  (Acts  iv.  27, 
28),  "  For  of  a  truth  in  this  city  against  thy  holy  servant 
Jesus,  whom  thou  didst  anoint,  both  Herod  and  Pontius 
Pilate,  with  the  Gentiles  and  the  peoples  of  Israel,  were 
gathered  together  to  do  whatsoever  thy  hand  and  thy 
counsel  foreordained  to  come  to  pass." 

24.  And  Pilate  gave  sentence  that  what  they  asked  for  should  be  done. 

24.  Here  the  man  who  began  by  showing  a  craven 
timidity,  who  went  on  to  co)npromisc,  at  last  yielded   en- 


XXIII.  24-26.]  CHAPTER  XXIII.  421 

tirely  and  his  sentence  was  not  for  justice  and  right,  nor 
for  the  convictions  of  his  own  judgment  and  conscience, 
but  for  what  they  asked.  The  court  submitted  to  the 
mob.  And  has  it  not  been  so  since  Pilate's  day,  when 
weak,  truculent  men  have  sat  in  the  place  of  God  ?  The 
man  has  been  handed  down  to  unenviable  notoriety,  and 
his  false  and  wicked  judgment  remembered  constantly 
among  the  best  people  of  earth,  in  those  words  of  the 
Creed,  "  Suffered  under  Pontius  Pilate." 

25.  And  he  released  him  that  for  insurrection  and  murder  had  been  cast 
into  prison,  whom  they  asked  for;  but  Jesus  he  delivered  up  to  their  will. 

25.  "  The  righteous  for  the  unrighteous,  that  he  might 
bring  us  to  God"  (i  Pet.  iii.  18).  And  not  only  was 
Barabbas  then  released  from  man's  prison,  but  every 
sinner  who  will  penitently  plead  Jesus  as  his  Redeemer, 
was  released  from  the  bondage  of  sin  and  the  eternal 
prison  of  despair. 

26-32.  And  when  they  led  him  away,  they  laid  hold  upon  one  Simon  of 
Cyrene,  coming  from  the  country,  and  laid  on  him  the  cross,  to  bear  it  after 
Jesus. 

And  there  followed  him  a  great  multitude  of  the  people,  and  of  women 
who  bewailed  and  lamented  him.  But  Jesus  turning  unto  them  said, 
Daughters  of  Jerusalem,  weep  not  for  me,  but  weep  for  yourselves,  and  for 
your  children.  For  behold,  the  days  are  coming,  in  which  they  shall  say, 
Blessed  are  the  barren,  and  the  wombs  that  never  bare,  and  the  breasts  that 
never  gave  suck.  Then  shall  they  begin  to  say  to  the  mountains,  Fall  on 
us ;  and  to  the  hills,  Cover  us.  For  if  they  do  these  things  in  the  green 
tree,  what  shall  be  done  in  the  dry  ? 

And  there  were  also  two  others,  malefactors,  led  with  him  to  be  put  to 
death. 

26,  See  on  Matt,  xxvii.  32  ;  Mark  xv.  21. 

After  Jesus  is  peculiar  to  Luke.  Some  suggest  that, 
possibly,  Simon  may  have  carried  one  end  of  the  cross 
after  Jesus  who  was  bearing  the  other.     (See  John  xix. 

17.) 


42  2  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiii.  27-29. 

27.  The  great  multitude  was  a  natural  accompaniment 
of  such  an  occasion  and  scene,  especially  in  the  then 
over-crowded  city.  Among  them  were  all  sorts  of  peo- 
ple, friends  and  foes  (mostly  these)  of  Jesus  and  the  in- 
different rabble.  Among  them,  in  considerable  numbers, 
were  women  of  the  city  (see  next  verse)  who,  according 
to  their  natural  tenderness  of  feeling,  leaning  to  merci- 
fulness, possibly  believing  that  Jesus  was  getting  un- 
justly treated,  bewailed  and  lamented  him  to  such  an  ex- 
tent as  to  be  noticed  amid  the  general  din.  It  is  sweet 
to  notice  that,  though  woman  brought  sin  into  the  world, 
she  is  never,  in  the  sacred  history,  noted  as  reproaching 
the  Saviour,  whom  she  also  brought  into  the  world  ! 

28.  Jesus  noted  it.  Turning  unto  them  with  a  chiv- 
alry divine.  He  addressed  them.  Daughters  of  Jeru= 
salem.  This  shows  who  they  were,  and  distinguishes 
them  from  the  ministering  women  from  Galilee.  Not 
for  me.  Self-forgetful  still,  thoughtful  for  others  while 
going  to  His  own  execution.  God  is  love.  But  weep 
for  yourselves,  and  for  your  children.  Words  of  warn- 
ing, followed  by  prophecy.  Comp.  His  own  tears 
(xix.  41-44)  over  Jerusalem.  This  is  the  only  place  in 
the  record  where  Jesus  bade  men  weep.  "  The  same  lips 
whose  gracious  breath  had  dried  so  many  tears,  now 
cries  on  the  way  to  the  cross  :  Weep — for  yourselves  and 
your  children  "  (Draseke).  See  in  Matt,  xxvii.  25  the 
people's  imprecation  on  themselves. 

29.  Days  are  coming  upon  Jerusalem,  this  generation 
and  their  children,  the  awful  woes  of  which  shall  reverse 
men's  judgment  of  who  are  blessed.  Then  home  shall 
be  undone  and  the  sweetest  joys  of  life  be  counted 
bitterness  :  then,  in  view  of  the  awful  judgments  at  hand 
and  impending,  the  barren  and  sterile,  the  childless,  shall 
be  counted  blessed  ! 


XXIII.  30-33]  CHAPTER  XXI IT.  423 

30.  At  that  time  people  shall  even  make  their  suit  to 
dumb  and  heartless  nature,  to  escape  the  terrors  of  men. 
Reference  is  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  Comp. 
Rev.  vi.  12-17,  descriptive  of  the  great  day  of  the  wrath 
of  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne  and  of  the  Lamb. 

31.  This  is  an  aphorism  of  a  fortiori  argument  (Comp. 
Jcr.  xlix.  12;  Ezek.  xx.  47;  Prov.  xi.  31  ;  i  Pet.  iv.  17, 
i8\  The  green  tree  is  not  naturally  for  burning,  whereas 
the  dry  is.  Jesus,  the  innocent,  the  sinless,  is  not  the 
natural  and  proper  object  of  judgment,'  but  sinners, 
especially  those  of  Jerusalem,  are.  If  now  these  things, 
as  then  going  on,  were  done  to  Him,  what  would  be  done 
to  Jerusalem  and  its  inhabitants  by  the  Romans — and  by 
the  angels  of  judgment  to  incorrigible  sinners  at  the  last 
day?  "If  they  do  these  things  in  me,  fruitful,  always 
green,  undying  through  the  divinity — what  will  they  do 
to  you,  fruitless  and  robbed  of  all  life-giving  righteous- 
ness?"   (Theophylact.) 

32.  Two  others  (I'ts/xk),  different  from  Him  in  that  they 
were  malefactors,  evil-doers,  "  robbers."  (See  xxii.  37 
and  Is.  liii.) 

33-38.  And  when  they  came  unto  the  place  which  is  called  The  skull, 
there  they  crucified  him,  and  the  malefactors,  one  on  the  right  hand  and  the 
other  on  the  left.  And  Jesus  said,  Father,  forgive  them ;  for  they  know 
not  what  they  do.  And  parting  his  garments  among  them,  they  cast  lots. 
And  the  people  stood  beholding.  And  the  rulers  also  scoffed  at  him,  say- 
ing, He  saved  others;  let  him  save  himself,  if  this  is  the  Christ  of  God, 
his  chosen.  And  the  soldiers  also  mocked  him,  coming  to  him,  offering 
him  vinegar,  and  saying,  If  thou  art  the  King  of  the  Jews,  save  thyself. 
And  there  was  also  a  superscription  over  him,  this  is  the  king  of  the 

JEWS. 

See  on  Matt,  xxvii.  33-37  ;  Mark  xv.  22-26  ;  John  xix. 
16-27. 

33.  The  traditional  site  is  near  the  "  Church  of  the 
Holy  Sepulchre,"  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  city  :  but 


42  4  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiii.  33-35. 

recent  investigations  point  to  a  knoll,  resembling  a  skull 
in  its  contour,  outside  the  Damascus  gate,  on  the  north- 
east, as  the  true  site. 

34.  It  may  have  been  while  they  were  fastening  Jesus 
to  the  cross  that  He  said,  Father,  forgive  them  ;  for 
they  know  not  what  they  do.  Luke  alone  records  it. 
This  is  the  first  of  the  seven  words  from  the  cross,  and  at 
the  same  time  expresses  the  whole  meaning  of  the  cruci- 
fixion— that  sinners  might  be  forgiven  !  Such  is  the  con- 
tinual prayer  the  cross  of  Jesus  pours  into  the  Father's 
ear  !  Moreover,  here  Jesus  exemplified  the  spirit  which 
He  taught  (Matt.  v.  44,  45  ;  comp.  Rom.  v.  8).  This 
prayer  was  made  for  Romans  and  Jews,  representatives 
of  mankind  in  this  act  of  crucifixion.  "  They  know  not 
what  they  do  "  was  not  a  ground  for  forgiveness,  but  an 
argument  for  mercy.  They  ought  to  have  known  better 
than  they  did.  So  far  as  the  soldiers  were  concerned 
they  were  mere  executioners,  and  not  responsible  for  the 
act  otherwise. 

35.  And  the  people  stood  beholding,  just  as  they  now 
do  at  a  public  execution.  And  the  rulers  also,  the  Jew- 
ish religious  authorities,  forgetting  alike  justice,  mercy 
and  dignity,  scoffed  at  the  crucified  one,  in  their  blind 
madness  fulfilling  the  Scriptures  (Ps.  xxii.  7,  8),  and  thus 
becoming  a  testimony  to  their  victim  as  being  the  Christ. 
He  saved  others.  Yes,  that  they  could  not  deny. 
Everywhere  were  living  evidences  of  His  saving  power. 
But,  with  extreme  malignity,  they  brought  this  up  as  a 
taunt  in  contrast  with  what  seemed  His  present  weakness 
— let  him  save  himself !  But  that  He  could  not  do,  if 
He  were  to  carry  out  His  eternal  purpose  of  saving  others. 
Voluntarily  He  took  the  place  of  these  others,  and  if 
they  are  to  be  saved  He  must  suffer  ;  and  therefore  came 
He  forth  from  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  and  the  chosen 


XXIII.  35-39-]  CHAPTER  XXIII.  425 

became  the  Christ  of  God  {anointed  Prophet,  Priest  and 
King)  of  our  redemption.  Thus  their  very  ridicule  has 
become  a  historical  proof  of  Jesus'  being  that  which  they 
mocked  Him  for  professing  to  be. 

36,  37.  The  rough  and  heartless  soldiers  also  readily 
joined  in  jeers  at  the  poor  sufferer,  coming  to  him,  offer= 
ing  him  vinegar,  that  is,  the  sour  wine  which  they  were 
accustomed  to  drink,  and  which,  perhaps,  they  were  then 
taking  in  connection  with  their  lunch  as  they  watched 
by  the  cross.  And,  taking  up  the  Jewish  rulers'  cry  of 
Save  thyself,  they  taunted  both  Him  and  them  by  call- 
ing Him  King  of  the  Jews,  as  the  title  over  His  head 
named  him. 

38.  The  slight  variations  in  the  wording  of  the  title 
over  Jesus'  head  may  be  accounted  for  from  the  fact  that 
it  was  written  in  three  different  languages  and  would  not 
be  expressed  in  them  precisely  alike. 

39.  And  one  of  the  malefactors  which  were  hanged  railed  on  him,  saying, 
Art  not  thou  the  Christ  ?  save  thyself  and  us. 

39.  It  was  not  enough  that  soldiers,  Sanhedrin,  by- 
st  uiders,  the  gaping  crowd,  mocked  Jesus'  agony.  One 
of  the  malefactors,  on  the  cross  by  His  side,  either  from 
hope  or  from  hardened  bravado,  joined  in  and  railed  on 
him.  What  a  scene !  Stand  by  and  learn  something 
of  the  true  nature  of  sin  !  Behold  mankind  !  Art  thou 
not  the  Christ  ?     (Then)  save  thyself  and  us. 

Crucified  amid  malefactors.  Derided,  mocked,  railed 
on.  Yet  having  done  nothing  amiss.  How  can  it  be 
accounted  for,  but  that  He  was  "made  sin  on  our  be- 
half ?  "     (2  Cor.  v.  21.) 

40-43.  But  the  other  answered,  and  rebuking  him  said,  Dost  thou  not 
even  fear  God,  seeing  thou  art  in  the  same  condemnation  .''  And  we  indeed 
justly ;  for  we  receive  the  due  reward  of  our  deeds  :  but  this  man  hath  done 


426  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiii.  40-42. 

nothing  amiss.  And  he  said,  Jesus,  remember  me  when  thou  comest  in  thy 
kingdom.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  To-day  shalt  thou 
be  with  me  in  Paradise. 

40.  But  the  other — though  from  the  accounts  of 
Matthew  and  Mark  it  seems  he  too  at  first  joined  in  the 
derision — now  repentant,  answered,  rebuking  his  fellow. 
They  were  all  in  an  awful  plight.  Soon  their  spirits 
would  go  to  God.  Dost  thou  not  even  fear  God,  then  ? 
The  human  tribunal  has  judged  us,  and  we  are  paying 
the  last  possible  penalty  it  can  inflict.  But  there  is  yet 
the  judgment  of  God,  to  which  we  are  going.  \\'ilt  thou, 
then,  thus  wantonly  revile  one  in  the  same  condemnation 
with  thyself  ? 

41.  And  we  indeed  Justly  have  been  condemned. 
Here  is  his  penitent  acknowledgment.  Jesus  was  listen- 
ing to  it.  "Confess  your  faults  one  to  another  that  ye 
may  be  healed."  But  this  man  hath  done  nothing 
amiss.  One  voice  alone  lifted  up  for  Jesus  on  the  cross! 
Had  this  robber  known  before  of  Jesus'  life  and  teach- 
ings ?  Had  he,  perhaps,  heard  something  of  the  trial, 
and  learned  how  hard  a  time  the  malignant  Jews  had  to 
get  Him  condemned?  Somewhere  and  somehow  he  has 
learned  about  Jesus,  and  here  testifies  to  Him. 

42.  Then  turning  his  head  to  the  central  figure,  to 
Jesus  Himself,  he  cried,  Jesus,  remember  me  when  thou 
comest  in  (not  "  into  ")  thy  kingdom.  This  robber  was 
a  Jew,  and  knew  of  an  expected  Messiah.  He  may  have 
heard  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven  "  preached  by  John  and 
Jesus  and  their  disciples  as  nigJi  ;  he  finds  himself  beside 
one  crucified  as  "  King  of  the  Jews,"  and  for  no  other 
crime;  his  ideas  of  the  kingdom  are  probably  incorrect 
and  very  crude  ;  but  he  ventures  his  hopes  on  this  Jesus 
as  King,  yet  to  triumph,  and  begs  remembrance  in  that 
unknown   future.      It   is   remarkable  faith.     Here,  then, 


XXIII.  42,  43.]  CHAPTER  XXIII.  427 

repentance  appears  in  its  double  sense  of  turning  yV^w^/w 
and  to  Christ — it  is  evangelical  penitence.  "  If  we  con- 
fess our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  righteous  to  forgive  us  our 
sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness." 

43.  So  Jesus  answered,  Verily  I  say  unto  thee — speak- 
ing like  a  king,  though  dying  on  the  cross — To=day 
(already,  without  long  waiting  for  the  coming  kingdom) 
shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise.  Where  was  that  ? 
Not  the  place  to  which  He  ascended  bodily  after  the 
resurrection.  (See  John  xx.  17  ;  Actsi.  9-11.)  T\\Q.zvord 
paradise  is  Greek,  derived  from  the  Persian,  and  was 
applied  to  kings'  courts  and  grounds,  places  of  beauty 
and  delight.  It  is  used  in  tlie  Septuagint  for  garden,  in 
Gen.  ii.  8,  where  we  read  that  God  planted  a  paradise  in 
Eden.  The  word  occurs  but  three  times  in  our  Bible  ; 
here  and  in  2  Cor.  xii.  4,  and  Rev.  ii.  7.  The  idea  of 
paradise  in  the  common  popular  belief  was  that  of  a  far- 
off  land  of  rest  and  peace,  a  region  of  the  world  of  the 
dead.  The  patriarchs  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  were 
there,  ready  to  receive  their  faithful  descendants.  To 
recline  with  Abraham  and  Isaac  and  Jacob,  to  be  in  Abra- 
ham's bosom  (Luke  xvi.  23,  compare  John  xiii.  23,  25), 
was  the  Jews'  mode  of  expressing  the  blessedness  of  the 
future  state.  In  such  blessedness,  with  Jesus,  the  dying 
robber  is  assured  by  the  Saviour  he  shall  be  that  very 
day.  The  souls  of  believers  do  at  death  immediately 
enter  into  rest.  "  Hades,"  or  the  place  of  departed  spirits, 
embraced  all  the  dead,  believing  and  unbelieving;  but 
between  the  two  there  is  a  "  great  gulf  fixed."  (See  Luke 
xvi.  19-28.     Comp.  I  Pet.  iii.  18-20.) 

But  where  would  the  other  malefactor  go  ?  Into  the 
spirit  world,  indeed  ;  but  not  into  "  paradise  ;  "  not  to  be 
with  Jesus.  He  cried  for  temporal  deliverance  (ver.  39), 
and,  while  acknowledging  (in  words  at  least)   Christ,  at 


428  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xx in.  43-46. 

the  same  time  railed  on  Him  in  the  spirit  of  his  un- 
changed, natural  heart ;  this  one,  acknowledging  his  sins 
as  well  as  Christ,  called  upon  Him  for  eternal  salvation, 
and,  as  he  looked,  so  he  lived  !  (John  iii.  14,  15  ;  Numb. 
xxi.  8,  9).     He  was  a  brand  snatched  from  the  burning. 

Speaking  of  the  penitent  robber's  case,  Prof.  Kendrick 
says,  "  It  is  the  gospel's  pledge  of  mercy  to  the  sinner 
in  extremis.  The  divine  record  contains  but  one  such 
example;  but  it  contains  one ;  but  one,  to  save  us  from 
despair."  Remember,  there  was  one  dying  sinner  there 
unsaved,  right  by  the  cross  of  Jesus. 

44-46.  And  it  was  now  about  the  sixth  hour,  and  a  darkness  came  over 
the  whole  land  until  the  ninth  hour,  the  sun's  light  failing :  and  the  veil 
of  the  temple  was  rent  in  the  midst.  And  when  Jesus  had  cried  with  a 
loud  voice,  he  said,  Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit :  and 
having  said  this,  he  gave  up  the  ghost. 

See  on  ]\Iatt.  xxvii.  45-53  ;  Markxv.  33-38  ;  John  xix. 
28-30. 

44.  It  satisfies  the  original  language  to  suppose  the 
darkness  covered  only  Judaea  or  Palestine,  though  secular 
history  speaks  of  it  as  having  been  noticed  in  Egypt. 
The  sun's  light  failing,  is  Luke's  explanation  of  it.  This 
could  not  have  been  an  ordinary  eclipse,  for  this  can 
occur  only  at  new  moon,  whereas  this  was  at  the  time  of 
full  moon.  The  darkness  was  supernatural,  whatever 
agencies  God  may  have  used  in  producing  it.  It  was  an 
object  lesson,  setting  forth  the  horror  of  the  creation  at 
such  treatment  of  the  Creator.  So  also  there  was  a 
shudder  of  the  earth,  the  Crucified's  handiwork  sympathiz- 
ing with  its  Lord. 

46.  During  the  darkness  an  oppressive,  awful  silence 
seems  to  have  settled  upon  all — oh,  how  oppressed  with 
the  world's  sins  Jesus' heart  must  have  been — till  toward 
its  close  He  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  that  cry  of  abandon- 


XXIII.  46.]  CHAPTER  XXIII.  429 

ment,  unparalleled  in  the  world's  history,  which  marked 
His  most  real  death,  which  is  separation  from  God,  the 
offering  of  His  soul  (Is.  liii.  10) — "  My  God,  my  God,  why 
hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?  "  Quickly  following  this  came 
the  other  voices  from  the  cross,  the  last,  recorded  by 
Luke,  also  in  a  loud  voice,  such  voice  showing  His  phys- 
ical strength  comparatively  unimpaired.  The  centurion 
noted  this  loud  outcry  and  speedy  death  thereupon  as 
something  unusual  (Mark  xv.  39).  Though  He  had  said, 
"  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?  "  now 
He  says  Father.  "  His  soul,"  remarks  Godet,  "  has  re- 
covered full  serenity.  Not  long  ago  He  was  struggling 
with  the  divine  sovereignty  and  holiness.  Now  the  dark- 
ness is  gone;  He  has  recovered  His  light — His  Father's 
face.  It  is  the  first  effect  of  the  completion  of  redemption, 
the  glorious  prelude  of  the  resurrection."  Into  thy  hands  I 
commend  my  spirit.  The  last  words  from  the  cross,  and 
these  Scripture  words.  (See  Ps.  xxxi.  5.)  Who,  after 
this,  will  have  the  hardihood  to  say  there  is  no  immortal 
spirit,  but  that  man  is  altogether  material.  The  unseen 
is  as  real  d.s  ih.Q  seen.  (Comp.  Eccles.  xii.  7  and  Acts  vii. 
59.)  Thereupon  he  gave  up  the  ghost.  All  this  is  one 
word  in  the  Greek,  and  may  be  expressed  in  our  one  word 
"  expired."  The  verb  is  active.  Surely  it  was  not  the 
wounds  in  His  hands  and  feet  that  caused  His  death. 
Remember  that  louel  voice !  The  thieves  had  to  have 
their  legs  broken  to  hasten  their  death.  Pilate  wondered 
that  Jesus  was  already  dead.  But  the  soldiers,  good 
authority  on  such  a  subject,  assured  him  of  the  fact. 
Physicians  who  have  studied  the  subject  say  the  flow  of 
water  and  blood  which  followed  the  drawing  of  the  sol- 
dier's spear  from  Jesus'  side  could  have  come  only  from 
the  pericardium,  or  sack  in  which  the  heart  is  enclosed, 
and  indicates  a  previous  bursting  of  the  heart,  and  this 


430  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiii.  46,  47. 

is  held  to  have  been  the  pJiysical  cause  of  Jesus*  death. 
Such  effect  might  well  have  followed  the  burden  of  the 
world's  sins,  and  been  a  consequence  of  the  accumulating 
agony.  (See  on  John  xix.  35.)  Jesus'  will,  by  which  He 
offered  Himself  \n  th.Q  first  place,  sustained  Him  till  He 
could  say,  "  It  is  finished,"  and  then  He  yielded  and 
expired. 

"All  we  who  were  baptized  into  Christ  Jesus  were 
baptized  into  his  death."  "  Even  so  reckon  ye  also 
yourselves  to  be  dead  unto  sin."     (See  Rom.  vi.  1-23.) 

47.  And  when  the  centurion  saw  what  was  done,  he  glorified  God,  say- 
ing, Certainly  this  was  a  righteous  man. 

47,  When  the  centurion  who  had  had  supervision  of  the 
crucifixion  of  Jesus  and  the  robbers,  saw  what  was  done. 

He  had  also  been  present  at  the  trial,  a  close  observer, 
apparently,  of  everything  that  had  passed  and  was  trans- 
piring. Mark  (xv.  39)  mentions  the  fact  "  that  he  so 
gave  up  the  ghost "  as  greatly  impressing  the  centurion. 
Comp.  Mark  XV.  44,45.  He  glorified  God  by  the  testi- 
mony and  confession  he  then  made.  What  he  said  is  given 
variously  by  the  several  Evangelists.  Certainly  this  was 
a  righteous  man.  Then  He  was  all  He  professed  to  be. 
The  centurion  had  heard  Him  charged  at  the  trial  with 
professing  to  be  the  Son  of  God  (John  xix.  7).  The  cen- 
turion now  professes  his  belief  that  He  was  this.  Lange 
notes  the  triumvirate  of  Roman  soldiers  bearing  testi- 
mony to  Christ — the  centurion  in  Capernaum  (Matt.  viii. 
5-10),  the  one  here  mentioned,  and  Cornelius  at  Csesarea 
(Acts.  x). 

48,  49.  And  all  the  multitude  that  came  together  to  this  sight,  when 
they  beheld  the  things  that  were  done,  returned  smiting  their  breasts.  And 
all  his  acquaintance,  and  the  women  that  followed  with  him  from  Galilee, 
stood  afar  off,  seeing  these  things. 


XXIII.  48-53-]  CHAPTER  XXII.  431 

48.  These  multitudes,  crowds  that  gathered  about  this 
spectacle  of  an  execution,  beheld  more  than  they  had 
anticipated  in  the  things  that  were  done.  With  signs  of 
amazed  apprehension,  smiting  their  breasts,  in  oriental 
style,  they  were  returning  to  their  various  abodes,  un- 
satisfied. 

49.  All  his  acquaintance,  unable  to  do  anything  for 
Him,  like  stricken  deer,  had  to  be  content  with  a  position 
afar  off.  "  Lover  and  friend  hast  thou  put  far  from  me, 
and  mine  acquaintance  into  darkness  "  (Ps.  Ixxxviii.  18). 
Among  them  were  the  Galilean  women,  among  whom, 
for  a  while  at  least  and  on  occasion  pressing  nearer 
to  the  cross  (comp.  John  xix.  25-27),  was  His  mother. 
See  Simeon's  prophecy,  Ch.  ii.  34,  35,  fulfilled. 

50-56.  And  behold,  a  man  named  Joseph,  who  was  a  councillor,  a  good 
man  and  a  righteous  (he  had  not  consented  to  their  counsel  and  deed),  a 
mail  of  Arimath^ea,  a  city  of  the  Jews,  who  was  looking  for  the  kingdom  of 
God:  this  man  went  to  Pilate,  and  asked  for  the  body  of  Jesus.  And  he 
took  it  down,  and  wrapped  it  in  a  linen  cloth,  and  laid  him  in  a  tomb  that 
was  hewn  in  stone,  where  never  man  had  yet  lain.  And  it  was  the  day  of 
the  Preparation,  and  the  sabbath  drew  on.  And  the  women,  which  had 
come  with  him  out  of  Galilee,  followed  after,  and  beheld  the  tomb,  and 
how  his  body  was  laid.  And  they  returned,  and  prepared  spices  and  oint- 
ments. 

See  on  Matt,  xxvii.  57-61  ;  Mark  xv.  42-47  ;  John  xix, 
38-42. 

50.  51.  A  good,  excellent,  man  and  righteous,  just,  as 
his  conduct  showed  in  not  consenting  to  the  Sanhedrin's 
counsel,  plot  (shown  in  Matt.  xxvi.  3-16;  Luke  xxii,  2-6), 
and  deed,  correspondent  therewith.  Neither  numbers  nor 
plausible  representations  could  sway  this  true  man  from 
what  was  right.  We  need  such  men  now  in  counsels  of 
both  church  and  state. 

52,  53.  Timid,  not  without  reason,  he  now  did  the 
bold  thing  of  claiming  Jesus'  body,  and,  with  the  aid  of 


432  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiii.  4S-56. 

Nicodemus  gave  it  decent,  customary  burial  in  his  own 
rock-hewn  tomb,  which  happily  happened  to  be  near  at 
hand,  and,  fittingly,where  never  man  had  yet  lain.  (Comp. 
John  xix.  41.)  In  h'ke  manner  Luke  notes  of  the  ass  on 
which  Jesus  rode  into  the  city  the  first  day  of  that  week, 
that  "  no  man  ever  yet  sat "  on  it. 

54.  The  word  rendered  drew  on  here  is  the  same  that 
is  used  for  "began  to  dawn  "  {margin)  ;  but  it  is  generally 
understood  here  of  the  beginning  of  the  Sabbath  day 
that  evening. 

55,  56.  The  women,  named  by  other  evangelists, 
the  well-known  ministrants  from  Galilee,  composed  the 
sad,  short  funeral  train.  They  carefully  observed  every- 
thing thereabouts,  and  how  his  body  was  laid,  revolving 
in  their  minds  what  they  would  do.  They  prepared 
spices  and  ointments  to  complete  His  proper  burial, 
ready  for  the  earliest  dawn  of  the  first  day,  but  on  the 
Sabbath  they  rested  according  to  the  commandment. 
According  to  Mark(xvi.  i)  these  spices  were  bought  "  when 
the  Sabbath  was  passed,"  i.  e.  after  6  o'clock  in  the  even- 
ing. This  is  the  more  likely,  as  it  was  probably  as  late 
as  that  when  the  women  left  the  sepulchre,  and  the 
Sabbath  would  have  already  begun. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

1.  But  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  at  early  dawn,  they  came  unto  the 
tomb,  bringing  the  spices  which  tliey  had  prepared. 

1.  Thus  the  first  day  of  the  week  became  its  crowning 
day,  "the  best  of  all  the  seven."  At  early  dawn  those 
devoted  Christian  women  were  up  and  going  toward  the 
tomb.  Their  drawing  to  Jesus,  even  though  dead  (as  they 
thought),  was  intense.  Yet  they  had  observed  the  Sab- 
bath. Bringing  the  spices  of  which  the  last  verse  of  pre- 
ceding chapter  tells.  'Tis  well  to  be  "  fore-handed  "  for 
Jesus'  service,  even  though  our  preparations  may  after- 
wards be  found  to  have  been  unnecessary. 

2.  And  they  found  the  stone  rolled  away  from  the  tomb. 

2.  The  stone  used  to  close  sepulchres  was  generally 
very  large  and  heavy.  These  women  were  ignorant  of  the 
seal  that  had  been  put  on  this  stone  the  day  before.  It 
was  unexpected,  and  naturally  startling,  that  they  found 
the  stone  rolled  away,  as  they  got  nearer.  It  was  on  this 
discovery  that  one  of  them,  Mary  Magdalene,  jumping  to 
the  conclusion  that  Jesus'  body  had  been  carried  else- 
where by  some  unknown  party,  immediately  turned  back 
and  hastened  to  report  this  to  Peter  and  John  (John  xx. 

2). 

3.  And  they  entered  in,  and  found  not  the  body  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

3.  Entered.  This  shows  the  tomb's  large  size.  But 
they  found  not  what  they  sought,  the  body  of  the  Lord 

28  433 


434  ^-^^  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxrv.  3-6. 

Jesus.  How  bewildered  they  must  have  been !  What 
has  happened?  Where  is  He?  Who  has  been  here? 
Can  they  not  have  the  poor  privilege  of  performing  the 
last  sad  rites  upon  the  body  of  the  blessed  Jesus? 

4-7.  And  it  came  to  pass,  while  they  were  perplexed  thereabout,  behold, 
two  men  stood  by  them  in  dazzling  apparel:  and  as  they  were  affrighted, 
and  bowed  down  their  faces  to  the  earth,  they  said  unto  them,  Why  seek 
ye  the  living  among  the  dead  ?  He  is  not  here,  but  is  risen :  remember 
how  he  spake  unto  you  when  he  was  yet  in  Galilee,  saying  that  the  Son  of 
man  must  be  delivered  up  into  the  hands  of  sinful  men,  and  be  crucified, 
and  the  third  day  rise  again. 

4,  5.  Perplexed  indeed  they  were,  utterly  at  a  loss  to 
account  for  the  situation  that  confronted  them.  And 
when  now  two  men  stood  by  them  in  dazzling  apparel 
their  breath  almost  left  them,  so  affrighted  were  they. 
See  them  stand  with  bowed  down  faces  to  the  earth  ! 
They  had  seen  great  things  in  Jesus'  life  and  ministry  ; 
they  had  seen  many  wonderful  miracles  ;  but  what  is  this, 
and  who  are  these?  It  must  have  been  with  voices  most 
sweet  that  the  dazzling  messengers  from  heaven,  upon 
whom  the  women  could  not  look,  for  their  glory,  said  to 
the  trembling  friends  of  Jesus,  Why  seek  ye  the  living 
among  the  dead  ?  See,  they  call  Him  whose  body  the 
women  had  come  to  embalm  "  the  living."  Matthew 
and  Mark  mention  but  one  angel,  the  spokesman  ;  but 
this  by  no  means  denies  the  two. 

6,  7.  He  is  not  here — that  they  had  already  noticed, 
but  it  was  news  to  them  as  joyful  as  startling  when  the 
angels  further  said.  He  is  risen  !  But  should  this  have 
been  to  them  the  unexpected?  Had  not  Jesus  told  them 
He  would  rise  again?  Remember,  said  the  angels  to 
them,  how  he  spake  unto  you  when  he  was  yet  in 
Galilee,  before  His  steadfast  setting  of  His  face  toward 
Jerusalem  to  meet  His  hour.     Always,  to  His  solemn 


XXIV.  7-1 1.]  CHAPTER  XXIV.  435 

foretellings  of  His  coming  sufferings  and  death  He  had 
added,  and  the  third  day  rise  again.  But  as  they 
from  ardent  affection,  had  not  been  able  to  take  Hterally 
these  prophecies  of  sufferings  and  death,  so  they  had 
forgotten  that  about  His  resurrection.  They  had  been 
so  taken  up  with  what  Jesus  was  and  did  that  they  could 
not  realize  the  dark  side  of  His  mission,  the  things  He 
must  suffer  in  order  to  become  what  He  came  to  be,  the 
author  of  eternal  salvation.  Since  His  arrest  they  had 
only  sorrow  and  consternation. 

8,  9.  And  they  remembered  his  words,  and  returned  from  the  tomb,  and 
told  all  these  thuigs  to  the  eleven,  and  to  all  the  rest. 

8,  9.  But  now,  with  these  remarkable  facts  confronting 
them,  and  reminded  by  the  angels,  they  remembered  his 
words,  and  they  came  like  a  revelation  to  them  ;  they 
flooded  the  tomb  and  the  past  three  days  with  light  ; 
they  made  glad  their  before  sorrowing  hearts ;  and  with 
what  thrilling  pleasure  they  now  went  and  told  all  these 
things  to  the  eleven,  and  to  all  the  rest !  No  one  loves 
a  messenger  of  evil  tidings,  and  yet  every  one  likes  to  tell 
"the  news:"  but  the  tidings  the  women  now  brought 
were  of  the  kind  that  we  often  call  "  too  good  to  be 
true." 

ID,  II.  Now  they  were  Mary  Magdalene,  and  Joanna,  and  Mary  the 
;«c//it'r  of  James :  and  the  other  women  with  them  told  these  things  unto 
the  apostles.  And  these  words  appeared  in  their  sight  as  idle  talk:  and 
they  disbeUeved  them. 

10,  II.  So  it  seemed  to  these  who  heard  this  great 
news;  for  these  words,  of  Jesus' resurrection,  appeared  in 
their  sight  as  idle  talk,  women's  tales  !  That  the  apostles 
themselves  were  slow  to  beheve  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
and  that  they  afterwards  were  firmly  convinced  of  it, 
shows  that  the  proofs  thereof  must  have  been  complete. 


436  THE  GOSPEL  OE  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiv.  10-12. 

The  first  disciples  were  unbelieving,  that  we  might  be 
strong  in  faith.  For  Joanna,  etc.,  see  viii.  2,  3.  From  the 
other  narratives  we  learn  that  the  women  here  spoken  of 
did  not  all  come  at  the  same  time  with  their  report,  but 
one  after  another,  Mary  Magdalene,  who,  as  mentioned 
above,  first  turned  back  in  grief  over  what  she  imagined 
was  a  rifling  of  the  tomb,  having  brought  the  first  report 
of  having  seen  Him.     (Comp.  Mark  xvi.  9.) 

Comp.,  on  preceding  verses.  Matt,  xxviii.  i-io ;  Mark 
xvi.  1-8;  John  XX.  i,  2. 

12.  But  Peter  arose,  and  ran  unto  the  tomb;  and  stooping  and  looking 
in,  he  seeth  the  linen  cloths  by  themselves ;  and  he  departed  to  his  home, 
wondering  at  that  which  was  come  to  pass. 

12.  Naturally  Peter  made  haste  to  see  for  himself,  and 
at  the  tomb  saw  evident  proof  not  only  of  Jesus'  absence, 
but,  in  the  disposition  of  the  linen  cloths  which  had  been 
wrapped  by  Joseph  and  Nicodemus  around  the  dead  body, 
of  an  orderly  going  on  His  part  and  that  He  had  not  been 
taken  away  or  stolen  but  had  "  risen  "  indeed.  He  went 
off  by  himself  wondering  at  that  which  was  come  to 
pass.  Peter  was  put  into  an  unusually  reflective  state  of 
mind  and  sought  to  be  alone  awhile.  It  was  probably  in 
this  time  that  Jesus  appeared  to  him,  as  recorded  in  i 
Cor.  XV.  5,  and  was  reported  to  and  by  the  other  apostles 
and  disciples,  as  mentioned  in  ver.  34.  One  report  came 
in  on  the  heels  of  another,  and  that  day  was  an  exciting 
and  wonderful  one  to  the  first  Christians  and  an  ominous, 
apprehensive  one  to  the  Jewish  rulers.  "  Now  is  Christ 
risen  from  the  dead."  The  last  enemy  is  potentially  de- 
stroyed. For  this  Jesus  came  (Heb.  ii.  14,  15).  See  a 
fuller  account  of  this  visit  to  the  sepulchre  in  John  xx. 
3-10. 

13,  14.     And  behold,  two  of  them  were  going  that  very  day  to  a  village 


XXIV.  i3-i6.]  CHAPTER  XXIV.  437 

named  Emmaus,  which  was  threescore  furlongs  from  Jerusalem.     And  they 
communed  with  each  other  of  all  these  things  which  had  happened. 

13,  14.  Two  of  them.  Not  of  the  apostles  (see  ver. 
33),  but  of  His  disciples.  The  name  of  one  of  them  is 
given  in  ver.  18  ;  we  have  no  means  of  knowing  who 
the  other  was.  Among  many  conjectures  one  is  that  our 
author  himself  was  one  of  the  two.  His  account  reads 
enough  like  that  of  an  eye-witness.  Were  going.  Our 
lesson  finds  them  on  the  road.  Em'=ma=us  means  "  warm 
water,"  and  may  have  been  the  site  of  warm  springs.  It 
was  three=score  furlongs,  or  seven  and  a  half  miles,  distant 
from  Jerusalem.  It  was  probably  westward,  though  its 
site  is  not  now  certainly  known.  Very  naturally  these 
two  were  talking  together  of  the  late  stirring  events  at 
Jerusalem. 

15,  16.  And  it  came  to  pass,  while  they  communed  and  questioned  to- 
gether, that  Jesus  himself  drew  near,  and  went  with  them.  But  their  eyes 
were  holden  that  they  should  not  know  him. 

15,  16.  While  they  were  thus  engaged,  and  so  absorbed 
as  scarcely  to  notice  anything  going  on  around  them, 
some  one  drew  near  and  went  (was  journeying)  with 
them.  They  paid  little  attention  to  Him,  not  knowing 
that  it  Avas  Jesus  himself.  Mark  (xvi.  12)  says  it  was  "  in 
another  form  "  from  that  in  which  He  appeared  to  Mary 
Magdalene  ;  and  here  we  are  told  their  eyes  were  holden 
(restrained)  that  they  should  not  know  him.  It  was  so 
ordered  in  God's  Providence  that  they  should  not  yet 
know  Him.     There  was  a  great  purpose  of  love  in  this. 

Are  not  our  eyes  often  holden  by  the  blindness  of  our 
hearts?  Do  not  fail  to  read  2  Kings  vi,  13-17;  and 
comp.  Ps.  xxxiv.  7. 

17,  iS.  And  he  said  unto  them,  What  communications  are  these  that  ye 
have   one  with  another,  as  ye  walk  'i     And   they  stood  still,   looking  sad. 


438  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiv.  17,  18. 

And  one  of  them,  named  Cleopas,  answering  said  unto  liim,  Dost  tliou 
alone  sojourn  in  Jerusalem  and  not  know  the  things  which  are  come  to  pass 
there  in  these  days  ? 

17.  Nor  did  they  know  His  voice  when  He  entered 
into  the  conversation  and  inquired  what  these  communi= 
cations  (words,  discussions)  were  in  which  they  were  so 
absorbed,  and  which  made  them  evidently  so  sad.  He 
asked  this  to  draw  them  out  and  prepare  them  for  His 
instructions.  Awakened  now  to  the  fact  that  another 
person  was  walking  with  them  and  amazed  at  such  a 
question,  they  stood  still  in  astonishment.  This  is  just 
what  men  would  naturally  do,  strikingly  correct  psycho- 
logically. 

18.  One  of  them,  of  whom  we  know  nothing  further 
than  his  name,  which  is  not  the  same  as  Clopas  of  John 
xix.  25,  answered  Him  with  surprise.  Dost  thou  alone 
sojourn  in  Jerusalem,  and  not  know  ?  "  Thou "  is 
emphatic.  *'  Sojourn  "  means  to  reside  in  a  place  as  a 
stranger.  Hast  thou  dwelt  so  apart  from  men  as  to  be 
thus  unacquainted  with  notorious  events?  Or,  Dost 
thou  alone  sojourn  at  Jerusalem  and  not  know  ?  Every- 
body knows  these  things  :  how  in  the  world  dost  thou  so 
strangely  inquire  ?  The  things  which  are  come  to  pass 
there  in  these  days  were  not  done  in  a  corner.  All  the 
city  was  moved  by  them  ;  the  darkness  and  earthquake 
must  have  impressed  all ;  and  there  must  have  been  talk 
enough  everywhere  throughout  the  crowded  city  about 
these  things,  and  three  days  had  not  passed  since  the 
crucifixion. 

19.  20.  And  he  said  unto  them,  What  things  ?  And  they  said  unto  him, 
The  things  concerning  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  which  was  a  prophet  mighty  in 
deed  and  word  before  God  and  all  the  people :  and  how  the  chief  priests 
and  our  rulers  delivered  him  up  to  be  condemned  to  death,  and  crucified 
him. 


XX TV.  19-23.]  CHAPTER  XXIV.  439 

19,  20.  Desiring  to  have  them  express  themselves,  He 
said,  What  things  ?  Now  let  us,  listening  to  this  col- 
loquy, remember  that  the  questioning  stranger  Avas  the 
centre  of  all  the  things  inquired  about,  and  that  these  sad 
disciples  were  unconsciously  talking  to  their  Master  about 
Himself.  They  called  Him  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  as  though 
they  had  about  given  up  the  idea  that  He  was  from 
heaven  and  above  all ;  yet  they  cannot  doubt  that  He  was 
a  prophet,  so  mighty  had  He  been  in  deed  and  word 
before  God,  who  testified  to  Him  in  these  very  wonders 
of  teaching  and  doing,  and  before  all  the  people,  who  had 
opportunity  to  see,  hear  and  prove.  But  though  the 
people  were  largely  in  His  favor,  won  by  His  sayings  and 
doings,  the  chief  priests  and  our  rulers,  they  add  as  the 
second  well  known  thing,  delivered  him  to  the  Romans 
to  be  condemned  to  death,  and,  through  them,  crucified 
him.  Stranger,  surely  you  must  have  heard  of  these 
things  ! 

21-24.  But  we  hoped  that  it  was  he  which  should  redeem  Israel.  Yea 
and  beside  all  this,  it  is  now  the  third  day  since  these  things  came  to  pass. 
Moreover  certain  women  of  our  company  amazed  us,  having  been  early  at 
the  tomb  ;  and  when  they  found  not  his  body,  they  came,  saying,  that  they 
had  also  seen  a  vision  of  angels,  which  said  that  he  was  alive.  And  certain 
of  them  that  were  with  us  went  to  the  tomb,  and  found  it  even  so  as  the 
women  had  said :  but  him  they  saw  not. 

21-24.  But  we  were  hoping  that  it  was  he  which 
should   redeem,  was  about  to  redeem,  Israel.     We  were 

hoping  this  was  our  Messiah ;  but  now  it  is  the  third 
day  since  His  crucifixion,  and  our  hope  has  been  fading 
completely  away.  Yet  it  is  not  entirely  dead  ;  we  are 
dumfounded  by  what  certain  women  of  our  company 
(of  u.s)  have  reported.  They  were  early  at  the  tomb  this 
morning,  but  found  not  his  body  there  where  it  had  been 
laid  ;  and,  further,  they  reported   having  seen  a  vision  of 


440  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiv.  24-26. 

angels,  which  said  that  he  was  alive  and  for  that  reason 
was  not  to  be  found  in  the  sepulchre.  Whereupon  some 
of  our  number  went  to  the  tomb,  to  see  for  themselves, 
and  found  it  empty,  even  so  as  the  women  had  said,  and 

evidence  there  also  to  confirm  the  idea  that  He  was  alive, 
having  risen  from  the  dead.  But  him  they  saw  not. 
These  two  had  not  yet  heard  of  His  appearing  to  Mary 
Magdalene,  and  to  the  other  women,  and  to  Peter.  This 
last  sentence  of  their  story  reveals  the  sad  perplexity  of 
their  hearts,  which  nothing  but  a  sight  of  the  object  of 
their  hopes  will  completely  relieve. 

25,  26.  And  he  said  unto  them,  O  foolish  men,  and  slow  of  heart  to 
believe  in  all  that  the  prophets  have  spoken  !  Behoved  it  not  the  Christ  to 
suffer  these  things,  and  to  enter  into  his  glory  ? 

25.  Now  came  the  stranger's  time  to  speak,  and  His 
tone  has  changed  from  inquiry  to  one  of  confidence  and 
rebuke,  as  He  begins  to  address  them.  O  foolish  men, 
men  zvitJwut  binder  standing.  Slow  of  heart,  sluggish  in 
disposition,  to  believe.  Their  want  of  faith  arose  from 
their  natural  heart.  Our  whole  nature,  including  head 
and  heart,  was  damaged  by  the  fall ;  it  needs  renewal,  to 
become  wholly  believing  and  obedient.  They  were  slow 
to  believe  all  that  the  prophets  have  spoken.  The  very 
things  that  have  staggered  your  faith  and  almost  de- 
stroyed your  hope,  were  minutely  set  forth  by  the 
prophets  of  old. 

26.  Behoved  it  not,  was  it  not  necessarj^  for  the  Christ, 
Messiah  of  the  prophets,  to  suffer  these  things  which 
now  you  are  so  sad  over?  Look  at  them  aright,  and  you 
will  find  them  the  very  establishment  of  your  hopes,  and 
out  of  what  seems  to  you  defeat  you  Avill  find  victory 
and  triumph.  And  to  enter  into  his  glory?  Through 
suffering  to  glory,  through  humiliation  to  the  Name 
above   every  name,  through  the   cross  to   His  crown,  is 


XXIV.  27-29.]  CHAPTER  XXIV.  441 

the  way  marked   out   in   the  prophets  for  the  Christ  of 
God. 

27.  And  beginning  from  Moses  and  from  all  the  prophets,  he  interpreted 
to  them  in  all  the  scriptures  the  things  concerning  himself. 

27.  And  beginning  from  floses,  the  first  writer  in  the 
Bible  and  the  giver  of  the  Law,  and  going  on  to  all  the 
prophets,  the  second  great  division  of  the  Hebrew  Script- 
ures, he  interpreted  to  them  in  all  the  scriptures  the 
things  concerning  himself — although  as  yet  they  did 
not  know  that  it  was  Himself  of  whom  He  was  speaking. 
Jesus  had  said,  "  Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  destroy 
the  law  or  the  prophets;  I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but 
to  fulfil ; "  and  now  He  showed  these  two  how  these 
Scriptures  had  been  fulfilling  in  the  events  they  deplored. 
The  spirit  of  prophecy  is  its  testimony  to  Jesus  (Rev. 
xix.  10).  He  had  said  to  the  Jews  concerning  the  Script- 
ures, "  They  are  they  that  testify  of  me." 

Observe  that  He  who  was  the  Truth  did  not  hesitate 
to  quote  "  Moses  and  all  the  prophets  "  as  real  and  cred- 
ible witnesses  to  Himself.     See  also  ver.  44. 

28,  29.  And  they  drew  nigh  unto  the  village,  whither  they  were  going  : 
and  he  made  as  though  he  would  go  further.  And  they  constrained  him, 
saying.  Abide  with  us :  for  it  is  toward  evening,  and  the  day  is  now  far 
spent.     And  he  went  in  to  abide  with  them. 

28,  29.  The  walk  had  proved  short  in  view  of  the  ex- 
cellent company  and  discourse  by  the  way,  and  now  they 
drew  nigh  unto  the  village,  Em'-ma-us,  whither  they 
were  going.  Jesus  had  gone  that  way  to  meet  these 
disciples,  not  to  go  to  that  place.  Therefore  he  made  as 
though — showed  by  His  actions  that — he  would  go  fur= 
ther.  This  is  very  natural  and  plain.  And  they  con= 
strained  him — were  urgent  in  their  persuasions — saying. 
Abide  with  us — come,  stop  with  us  in  the  village.     They 


442  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiv.  29-31. 

SO  enjoyed  His  company  and  were  so  quickened  (ver.  32) 
by  His  words  ;  they  used  the  argument  of  the  time  of 
day  ;  it  was  toward  evening.  Whether  they  refer  to  the 
first  evening,  which  began  at  3  o'clock,  or  the  second, 
which  began  at  6  o'clock,  we  cannot  tell.  At  all  events 
they  could  say,  the  day  is  far  spent.  So  they  pressed 
upon  the  welcome  stranger,  and  he  went  to  abide  with 
them,  "  Not  Mary  Magdalene,  nor  Peter,  nor  John,  nor 
the  whole  college  of  apostles,  had  as  yet  received  such  a 
favor  as  this  vouchsafed  those  two  disciples — the  one  to 
be  unnamed,  and  the  other  but  a  name  "  (Whedon). 
But  what  transpired  at  our  Lord's  previous  appearance 
to  Peter  we  do  not  know. 

30,  31.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  had  sat  down  with  them  to  meat 
he  took  the  bread,  and  blessed  it,  and  brake,  and  gave  to  them.  And  their 
eyes  were  opened,  and  they  knew  him ;  and  he  vanished  out  of  their  sight. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  evening  meal  was  served  ; 
he  5at  down  with  them  to  meat,  their  guest  by  invita- 
tion, but,  lo,  he  took  the  bread,  acting  as  host  and  as  He 
had  been  wont  to  do  among  His  disciples,  and  blessed, 
gave  thanks,  as  He  had  been  wont,  and  brake  and  gave 
to  them.  Perhaps  as  He  did  so  they  saw  in  His  hands 
the  print  of  the  nails.  At  all  events,  during  this  act  the 
restraining  influence  spoken  of  in  ver.  16  became  in- 
operative, the  veil  was  taken  away  from  their  senses  and 
hearts  ;  their  eyes  were  opened,  and  they  knew  him. 
It  was  Jesus  Himself!  But  their  opened  eyes  were  not 
allowed  linger  to  gaze  upon  Him.  The  purpose  of  His 
appearing  to  them  was  fulfilled,  and  he  vanished  out  of 
their  sight  in  a  supernatural  way,  disappearing  without 
the  usual  getting  up  and  going.  Yet,  lo.  He  was  gone  ! 
Thus  still  further  was  their  conviction  confirmed  that  it 
was  their  risen  Lord.  Then  they  had  opportunity  to 
talk  to  each  other  about  Him.     We  see  no  reference  here 


XXIV.  30-34-]  CHAPTER  XXIV.  443 

to  the  Lord's  Supper.  Roman  Catholic  Expositors  would 
fain  make  this  a  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper  in  one 
kind,  to  support  their  heresy. 

32.  And  they  said  one  to  another,  Was  not  our  heart  burning  within  us, 
while  he  spake  to  us  in  the  way,  while  he  opened  to  us  the  scriptures  ? 

32.  Was   not   our   heart  burning   within   us?       How 

strange  the  influence  of  words,  the  vehicles  of  thought, 
upon  the  human  soul !  How  powerful  the  influence  of 
truth  upon  the  heart !  We  speak  of  "  burning  words." 
True  hearts  are  not  cold,  but  burn,  when  Jesus  talks 
with  them.  While  he  opened  to  us  the  scriptures. 
This  is  the  way  to  reach  and  warm  the  heart ;  open  to  it 
the  Scriptures.  That  is  effective  preaching ;  that  is 
teaching  to  purpose. 

ITj,  34.  And  they  rose  up  that  very  hour,  and  returned  to  Jerusalem,  and 
found  the  eleven  gathered  together,  and  them  that  were  with  them,  saying, 
The  Lord  is  risen  indeed,  and  hath  appeared  to  Simon. 

33,  34.  The  experience  of  these  disciples  of  the  Lord 
was  too  great  and  good  to  keep  to  themselves  even  a 
short  time.  That  very  hour  they  rose  up  and  returned 
to  Jerusalem,  now  with  quickened  steps  and  lighter 
hearts.  Their  sadness  had  been  turned  to  gladness,  and 
they  must  tell  it.  But  the  news  had  got  there  before 
them  ;  the  eleven  gathered  together  with  other  disciples, 
anticipated  them  with  The  Lord  is  risen  indeed,  there's 
no  doubt  about  it,  and  hath  appeared  to  Simon.  We 
do  not  have  any  particulars  of  this  appearance.  Paul 
(i  Cor.  XV.  5)  puts  first  in  his  list  of  Jesus' manifestations 
of  Himself  "  that  he  appeared  to  Cephas."  Poor  Peter, 
haunted  by  the  recollection  of  that  look  that  Jesus  gave 
him  upon  his  threefold  denial  of  Him  the  Friday  before, 
must  have  rejoiced  to  ,see  the  face  of  the  risen  Lord  tri- 
umphant in  love.     Though  the   eleven   had   counted   the 


444  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiv.  35-38. 

reports  of  the   women   idle  tales,  they  could  not  doubt 
Peter's  confirmation  of  Jesus'  resurrection. 

35-37.  And  they  rehearsed  the  things  that  happeued  in  the  way,  and 
how  he  was  known  of  them  in  the  breaking  of  the  bread.  And  as  they 
spake  these  things,  he  himself  stood  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  saith  unto 
them,  Peace  be  unto  you.  But  they  were  terrified  and  affrighted,  and  sup- 
posed that  they  beheld  a  spirit. 

35-37.  The  two  just  from  Emmaus  rehearsed  their  ex- 
perience in  the  way,  and  told  about  the  breaking  of  the 
bread  by  which  He  became  known  to  them.  We  can 
see  them  listening  so  intently  to  this  narrative,  when,  all 
of  a  sudden,  unannounced,  and  despite  the  closed  doors 
(John  XX.  19,  26),  there  he  himself,  Jesus,  stood  in  the 
midst  of  them.  Coming  thus  supernaturally,  they  took 
Him  for  a  spirit,  thought  it  was  His  ghost,  and  were 
terrified  and  affrighted.  In  this  they  were  just  like 
people  now.  Ever  since  the  fall  visitors  from  the  other 
world  have  frightened  those  to  whom  they  have  appeared, 
even  though  they  came  saying,  "  Fear  not,"  just  as  Jesus 
here  said.  Peace  be  unto  you.  They  all  saw  Him  ;  they 
all  heard  Him  ;  and  there  He  stood  !  (Comp.  Mark  xvi. 
14;  John  xix.  19-23.) 

3S-40.  And  he  said  unto  them,  Why  are  ye  troubled.-'  and  wherefore  do 
reasonings  arise  in  your  heart  ?  See  my  hands  and  my  feet,  that  it  is  I 
myself :  handle  me,  and  see  ;  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye 
behold  me  having.  And  when  he  had  said  this,  he  shewed  them  his  hands 
and  his  feet. 

38-40.  Unlike  "  ghosts,"  Jesus  began  in  natural  tones, 
recognizable  by  them  all,  to  talk  with  them  and  to  act 
in  a  thoroughly  human  way.  Why  are  ye  troubled  ? 
said  He,  just  as  a  few  days  before  He  had  said,  "  Let 
not  your  heart  be  troubled,  neither  let  it  be  fearful." 
Wherefore  do  reasonings,  questionings,  arise  in  your 
heart?      We  might  answer  for    them — because    of    un- 


XXIV.  39-43-]  CHAPTER  XXIV.  445 

belief,  because  of  ignorance,  because  of  sin.  However, 
the  fact  that  they  were  so  hard  to  persuade  of  it,  proves 
still  more  strongly  for  us  the  truth  of  Jesus'  resurrec- 
tion. Then  Jesus  called  them  to  a  further  and  fuller  ex- 
ercise of  their  senses.  See  my  hands  and  my  feet,  with 
the  marks  of  nails  that  so  lately  pierced  them.  Handle 
me,  and  see  the  reality,  the  objectiveness,  the  substantiality 
of  my  presence.  A  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones, 
but  ye  here  behold  me  having  these,  as  before  my  death. 
What  clear  evidence  of  "  the  resurrection  of  the  body  !  " 
The  Son  of  God  took  upon  Him  human  nature,  which 
is  composed  not  of  spirit  or  soul  only,  but  of  body  and 
soul  or  spirit.  Jesus  was  true  man  not  only  before  His 
death,  but  also  after  His  resurrection,  and  is  so  now  also, 
in  glory. 

41-43.  And  while  they  still  disbelieved  for  joy,  and  wondered,  he  said 
unto  them,  Have  ye  here  anything  to  eat  ?  And  they  gave  him  a  piece  of 
a  broiled  fish.     And  he  took  it,  and  did  eat  before  them. 

41-43.  They  still  disbelieved,  not  from  perversity  and 
opposition,  but  for  joy  :  what  was  passing  before  them 
was  "  too  good  to  be  true  ;  "  it  was  all  like  a  dream  or  a 
vision.  They  wondered,  r(?/^/^ //  be  true?  Then  Jesus 
condescended  to  give  them  another  proof  of  His  real 
bodily  presence.  Have  ye  here  anything  to  eat  ?  said 
He.  Disembodied  spirits  do  not  eat.  Then  they  gave 
and  he  took,  making  a  transaction  between  two  parties, 
each  as  much  "  in  the  body  "  as  the  other,  a  piece  of  a 
broiled  fish,  an  article  of  man's  diet,  and  and  he  did  eat 
before  them.  This  was  particularly  realistic.  And  whilst 
it  showed  Jesus  to  be  there  "  in  the  body,"  it  also  may 
throw  some  light  on  Scripture  statements  that  speak  of 
eating  and  drinking  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  as,  e.  g.,  in 
Matt.   xxvi.  29  ;  Mark  xiv.  25.      In  Acts  x.  41,   Peter, 


446  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiv.  43,  44. 

preaching  to  Cornelius  and  the  Gentiles,  speaks  of  the 
witnesses  of  Jesus  risen  as  those  "  who  did  eat  and  drink 
with  him  after  he  rose  from  the  dead." 

44.  And  he  said  unto  them,  These  are  my  words  which  I  spake  unto 
you,  while  I  was  yet  with  you,  how  that  all  things  must  needs  be  fulfilled, 
which  are  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  the  prophets,  and  the  psalms, 
concerning  me. 

44.  These  things  I  tell  you  now,  in  the  light  of  my 
resurrection,  are  no  new  things,  but  my  words  which  I 
spake  unto  you  before,  all  along  those  years,  while  I  was 
yet  with  you.  A  summary  of  these  things  is  found  in  the 
latter  part  of  this  verse  and  in  vers.  46,  47.  Jesus  here 
speaks  as  though  He  were  already  gone  from  them,  an- 
ticipating His  ascension:  and  His  words  illustrate  that 
He  was  not  with  His  disciples  during  the  forty  days  be- 
tween His  resurrection  and  ascension  in  just  the  same 
manner  and  relations  that  characterized  His  being  with 
them  before.  He  was  already  in  His  state  of  exaltation, 
which  began  with  His  descent  into  hell.  He  was  not 
now  fulfilling  what  was  written  in  the  Scriptures  concern- 
ing Himself  ;  that  was  "  finished,"  as  He  cried  upon  the 
cross:  but  He  was  now  teaching  them  and  preparing 
them  for  His  ascension  and  the  Spirit's  coming.  But  it 
is  all  in  the  one  line  of  the  work  of  Redemption.  He 
had  told  them  before  (see  especially  Matt.  xvi.  21,  xvii. 
22,  23  ;  Lukexviii.  31-34)  that  all  things  must  be  fulfilled 
which  are  written  concerning  Him.  These  things  are 
written  in  the  sacred  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament, 
which  where  divided  by  the  Jews  into  the  law  of  Moses, 
and  the  prophets,  with  which  latter  Jesus  here  couples 
the  psalms,  which  are  so  full  of  references  and  prophecies 
concerning  Himself,  some  of  them  reading  even  like 
history,  though  written  long  before  the  events  to  which 
they  prophetically    refer.      Concerning  me.      "  For   the 


XXIV.  44-46.]  CHAPTER    XXII.  447 

testimony  of  [to]  Jesus,"  said  tlie  angel  of  the  Revelation 
(Rev.  xix.  10)  to  John,  "  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy." 

"  As  the  angels  in  the  sepulchre  had  referred  back  to 
the  words  of  Jesus,  verses  6-8,  so  does  the  Lord  Himself 
here  refer  back  to  them  :  it  was  a  continued  conviction  of 
the  identity  of  their  former  and  their  present  Lord — only 
in  a  higher  degree,  and  with  reference  to  His  spiritual 
personahty  "  (Stier). 

45-47.  Tlien  opened  he  their  mind,  that  they  might  understand  the 
scriptures  ;  and  he  said  unto  them,  Thus  it  is  written,  that  the  Clirist  should 
suffer,  and  rise  again  from  the  dead  the  third  day  ;  and  that  repentance 
and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in  his  name  unto  all  the  nations, 
beginning  from  Jerusalem. 

45.  (Comp.  ver.  31  ;  Acts  xvi.  14;  Ps.  cxix.  18.)  Hotv 
the  Lord  opened  their  mind  on  this  occasion  we  cannot 
tell.  The  statement,  however,  shows  the  influence  the 
divine  mind  has  and  may  exert  over  the  human  mind. 
The  purpose  and  result  of  this  present  mind-opening  was 
that  they  might  understand  the  scriptures.  (See  vers. 
25-27.)  D.  Brown  sees  in  this  statement ''  Christ's  im- 
mediate access  to  the  human  spirit  and  absolute  power 
over  it,  to  the  adjustment  of  its  vision,  and  its  permanent 
rectification  for  spiritual  discernment "  and  "  that  the 
apostolic  manner  of  interpreting  the  Old  Testament,  in 
the  Acts  and  Epistles,  has  the  direct  sanction  of  Christ 
Himself."  We  see  that  the  apostles  heard  and  observed 
much  that  they  at  the  time  did  not  undersand,  which 
things  afterwards  became  plain  to  them.  So  it  may  be 
in  our  day,  in  teaching  the  young  especially:  immediate 
understanding  is  not  always  necessary  or  to  be  expected. 

46.  Thus  it  is  written.  How  often  Jesus  said  this! 
What  constant  respect  He  paid  to  the  holy  Scriptures  ! 
He  was  their  fulfilment.  (See  Matt.  iv.  4,  7,  10;  v.  17, 
18  ;  xxvi.  24,  53-56.)   That  the  Christ  should  suffer.    See 


448  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiv.  46,  47. 

the  value  of  the  article  here,  omitted  in  the  Authorized 
Version.  None  seem  to  have  understood  that  the  Mes- 
siah prophesied  in  the  Old  Testament  was  to  be  a  suffer- 
ing Saviour,  and  rise  again  from  the  dead  the  third  day, 
a  conqueror  different  from  all  others  and  greater  than  all 
others,  leading  "  captivity  captive  !  "- 

47.  There  was  also  a  great  future  to  all  this  work  of 
the  Messiah.  It  was  also  written,  and  He  opened  their 
minds  to  see  it,  that  repentance  on  man's  part,  a  change 
of  mind  and  heart,  involving  a  turning  from  sin  and 
Satan  to  God  in  Christ,  and  remission,  forgiveness,  of 
sins  on  God's  part,  should  be  preached,  proclaimed  for 
the  obedience  of  faith,  in  his  name,  in  Christ's  name, 
unto  all  the  nations  of  mankind.  Beginning  from  Jeru= 
salem  and  with  the  Jews,  it  was  not  to  be  restricted  to 
them,  but  to  flow  from  Zion  to  all  peoples  that  on  earth 
do  dwell.  "  Salvation  is  of  the  Jews  "  (John  iv.  22),  but 
is  not  for  the  Jews  only,  but  for"  whosoever  will!" 
Hence  it  must  be  preached  to  all.  Here,  together  with 
the  great  commission  (Matt,  xxviii.  18-20),  is  our  autlv;  ■ 
ization  for  missions,  and  the  Church's  work  is  set  forth  in 
co-operation  with  Him  "  who  willeth  that  all  men  should 
be  saved  and  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  "  (i 
Tim.  ii.  4). 

"  The  name  of  Jesus  opens  the  door  for  repentance  and 
remission  of  sins,"  says  RiEGER.  "  By  the  passion  of 
Christ,"  says  Stier,  contrasting  Old  Testament  and 
New  Testament  preaching  of  repentance,  "  repentance  is 
now  preached  in  its  evangelical  strength  ;  by  His  resur- 
rection forgiveness  is  offered  and  pledged.  The  New 
Testament  preaching  of  repentance  is  itself  a  Gospel. 
For,  the  message  of  grace  does  not  merely  bring  '  the 
incentive  to  repentance,  and  the  promise  of  forgiveness : ' 
God  gives  to  those  who  hear  and  believe  repentance  unto 


XXIV.  47-49-]  CHAPTER  XXIV.  449 

life  (Acts  xi.  18).  The  union  of  these  two  words,  repent- 
ance and  remission,  is  full  of  encouragement  to  the  weak 
in  faith."  Hence  it  is  both  a  scriptural  and  a  helpful 
order  that  after  our  Confession  of  Sin  we  have  the  Dec- 
laration of  Grace  ;  and  we  really  believe  "  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins." 

48,  49.  Ye  are  witnesses  of  these  things.  And  behold,  I  send  forth  the 
promise  of  my  Father  upon  you  :  but  tarry  ye  in  the  city,  until  ye  be  clothed 
with  power  from  on  high. 

48.  Ye  are  witnesses.  There  may  be  witnesses  of  a 
thing,  and  again,  witnesses  to  a  thing.  In  both  senses 
these  disciples,  especially  the  apostles,  were  witnesses  of 
these  things.  They  were  witnesses  of  the  facts  of  Christ's 
life,  teachings,  works,  death  and  resurrection  (and  pres- 
ently of  His  ascension),  and  they  were  to  be  witnesses  to 
the  people  of  the  purpose  and  effect  of  these  things, 
whilst  they  preached  repentance  and  remission  of  sins. 

"  It  is  not  the  Lord's  will  to  appoint  and  send  forth 
orators  or  enthusiasts,  or  even  simple  teachers— and  this 
He  shows  at  the  very  outset  in  the  typical  character  of 
His  first  Apostles — but,  before  all  and  in  all,  ivitiicsscs  " 
(Stier).  Christianity  deals  with  facts,  of  which  there 
are  sufficient  witnesses.  Moreover,  also,  every  one  "  in 
whose  heart  the  Spirit  has  glorified  and  sealed  the  life 
and  the  word  of  Jesus"  is  a  witness  to  these  things. 
Moreover  we  give  our  testimony  directly  and  indirectly, 
by  our  lives,  our  lips,  our  influence,  our  gifts.  Every 
one  who  has  his  heart  full  of  these  things  will  find  a  way 
of  testifying  to  them. 

49.  And  behold  there  is  something  yet  to  look  forward 
to.  I  send  forth  the  promise  of  my  Father  (Joel  ii.  28-32) 
upon  you.  There  were  yet  divine  facts  for  them  to  wit- 
ness.    The  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  what  is  here 

referred  to.     I  send — ye  tarry.      Wait  on   God.     He  is 
29 


45 o  THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  LUKE.  [xxiv.  49-51. 

the  Lord.  Follow  His  leading.  Until  ye  be  clothed, 
endued,  with  power  from  on  high.  He  had  already- 
opened  their  minds  to  understand  the  Scriptures :  but 
they  need  a  still  further  power  to  enable  them  to  be  His 
witnesses  to  all  nations,  namely,  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  He  had,  indeed,  "  breathed  on  them  "  and  said, 
"  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost."  But  there  was  to  be  a 
further  and  more  striking  manifestation  of  the  power 
from  on  high — but  not  until  Jesus  Himself  was  taken  up 
from  them.  We  find  the  fulfilment  of  this  in  Acts  ii. 
See  the  Nicene  Creed  and  what  it  says  concerning  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

50,  51.  And  he  led  them  out  until  they  were  over  against  Bethany:  and 
he  lifted  up  his  hands,  and  blessed  them.  And  it  came  to  pass,  while  he 
blessed  them,  he  parted  from  them,  and  was  carried  up  into  heaven. 

50.  Here  we  come  to  the  final  act.  For  Luke  sum- 
marily closes  his  gospel  history,  saying  nothing  here  of 
the  forty  days'  sojourn  on  earth  of  the  risen  Jesus.  Comp. 
Acts.  i.  i-ii.  The  scene  was  the  Mount  of  Olives,  over 
against  Bethany.  We  do  not  know  the  time  of  day  it 
was.  He  lifted  up  his  hands,  a  significant  gesture,  and 
blessed  them.  What  did  He  say?  It  is  not  recorded. 
Was  it  the  customary  and  only  appointed  blessing  of  the 
Old  Testament,  found  in  Numbers  vi.  24-26?  Shall  we 
ask  also,  was  there  anything  in  this  blessing,  or  was  it  a 
mere  form  ? 

51.  It  was  while  he  blessed  them,  lovely  attitude,  com- 
forting remembrance,  that  he  parted  from  them,  super- 
naturally  and  with  infinite  ease  and  grace,  and  wascar= 
ried  up  into  heaven,  not  in  a  whirlwind  or  accompanied 
by  chariots  of  fire  or  horses  of  fire,  but  just  as  He  was, 
until  "  a  cloud  received  him  out  of  their  sight  "  (Acts  i.  9; 
Eph.  iv.  10). 


XXIV.  52,  53-]  CHAPTER  XXIV.  451 

52,  53.     And  they  worshipped  him,  and  returned  to  Jerusalem  with  great 
joy :  and  were  continually  in  the  temple,  blessing  God. 

52,  53.  First  they  worshipped  him,  acknowledging 
Him  to  be  Lord  and  God:  and  He  accepted  that  wor- 
ship. Then  they  returned  to  Jerusalem,  to  wait  as  He 
(ver.  49)  had  instructed  them.  They  were  filled  with  great 
joy,  despite  His  personal,  visible  withdrawal  from  them. 
Their  eyes  were  opened,  their  minds  enlightened,  they 
understood  the  Scriptures  as  never  before,  and  were  con= 
tinually  in  the  temple,  God's  house,  blessing  God,  prais- 
ing God.  This  w^as  at  the  times  of  worship,  the  morning 
and  evening  sacrifices.  In  the  Acts  we  learn  that  they 
gathered  also  in  the  already  consecrated  upper  chamber, 
and  "with  one  accord  continued  steadfastly  in  prayer." 
So  they  waited  for  the  promised  Holy  Ghost. 


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